Previous Chapters

Name: Calraith

STR: 1, AGI: 1, TOU: 0, INT: 1, PRE: 1

XP: 2

lvl: 3

Skills

-Rage (shapeshift): Add d6 rage/bloodlust damage until rage ends in d6 rounds. After rage ends, roll d6. On 1-3 you make all rolls at disadvantage until long rest. After a long rest you may rage again.

-Pact Of The Wilderness, Tier 1: Aspect of the Beast. Increase STR and AGI by +2 for d6 rounds. At the end of the spell, both stats are at -2 for d6 hours.

-Doom: The caster must not use metal weapons or armor. Violation breaks their pact and they lose all spells and powers.

HP: 11

FP: 1, refreshes every 5 days

Equipment: one good horse, 14 Mor blossom(+1 INT for 1 hour (50s), 4 rations, tent,(d6/d),

Weapons: Shortbow (4 arrows), Spear,

Armor: Leather (1 AP)

Companion: Pit Fighter named Sarnara (7hp, 2 armor) + 2 Mute Concubines

5 hexes to Lhar

Weather: 1 → Clear Skies, +1 Getting Lost, +1 Foraging

Lost? 6 → No

POI? 6 → Yes. Enc? 5 → Yes

(Using NEW POI AND ENCOUNTERS from KA2)

d66 = 26

d66 = 45

The clear skies made for easy travel, but in the distance just as the sun crosses above us in the sky, we hear drums and yelling, and whooping.

In the distance, a commotion. Ramshackle tents sporadically stand as a makeshift settlement of sorts, but the commotion comes from further within.

A road is cut through the grasslands here, a head staked every 50 paces.

“The Road of Bones,” Sarnara says, nodding. “It leads to Kar’Eld.”

As we follow the road towards the settlement, we can see more, figures leaping, hands raised, shrieking and laughing, watching something in the center of the settlement

Most ignore us as we approach, push our way in, and see what’s going on.

Bloodlust is in the audience’s eyes.

Crowds surround a series of circular pits, within the pits, warriors clash with bulging muscle, bloody weapons, faces of rage, ripping each other apart.

Sarnara’s eyes flash as she watches, her blood pumping.

There is something visceral, enticing, I cannot help but watch.

We howl and cheer and watch the fury.

As a match ends and the bloodlust fades, we speak to those around us.

We find ourselves at the Fighting Pits of the Undying Warriors.

Sarnara is pleased. We shake hands. “This is where we part, my wolfish companion. I will find glory here, before making my way to Kar’Eld and becoming a champion.”

“I don’t doubt that, Sarnara. I am certain I will hear your name across the Kyrg. Fare you well.”

I find a trader who takes a dose of Mor Blossom for lodging and food for the night.

In the morning, I will continue my trek south, alone.

4 hexes to Lhar

Weather: light rain

Lost? No

POI? No, Enc? Yes

d66 = d6(4) Raptor Lizards fighting a Tyrant Lizard, all wounded

A light rain eases the heat as I leave the fighting pits behind.

Coming over a small hill, I hear gnashing and tearing, groaning and growling.

I crouch before I come over, and witness a scene that takes my breath away.

Four large Raptor Lizards encircle an enormous Tyrant Lizard.

Blood streaks the ground, each creature wounded.

I keep my distance, hiding, waiting and watching.

Who wins? 1-3: Raptors, 4-6: Tyrant d6 = 4 → Tyrant

A Raptor tries to sneak in from behind, the Tyrant spins suddenly, mouth snatching down, clamping on the Raptor’s throat. The Tyrant crushes muscle and bone beneath it’s teeth before swinging the corpse and tossing it into another Raptor charging in.

The remaining Raptors retreat, barking and calling, before slipping away, moving through the grasslands.

The Tyrant gives a terrifying bellow that shakes me to my core, before it too, moves off.

I wait a long time before continuing on.

-1 ration. 3 left

Night Encounter: 1 → Yes.

2d6 = 6 → Black Legion

Reaction: 12 → Actively Helpful

I wake in the night and see dark-armored forms around me.

Before I can move, one crouches down close to my head and drops a cloth bag. “Some meat for your travels, wanderer,” before they all leave.

In the bag is cooked Lizard meat.

Strange.

3 hexes to Lhar

Weather: Light rain

Lost? No

POI? No, No

The light rain continues as I journey South.

The day passes uninterrupted.

It is quiet without a traveling companion.

-1 ration, 8 left.

Night encounter: No

2 hexes to Lhar

Weather: 6 → Windstorm/Tornado. -2 to Get Lost. Travel impossible.

The rain ends by morning, but the wind howls like a beast unchained.

I stagger around, trying to find shelter.

Lost? 5-2 = 3 → No!

I huddle under a small hillock as best I can and wait out the storm.

-1 ration. 7 left.

Night encounter: No

2 hexes to Lhar.

Weather: 1 → Clear skies

The storm abates by morning and I continue my journey.

POI? No. Encounter? Yes

d66

Reaction: Neutral

I hear them before I them.

Thundering along the plains, not from the sky but from the land.

A horde of the beasts, buffalo charging from the horizon.

I see horse-riders with bows riding among the throng, picking out targets, and firing.

I let them pass without incident.

I am eager to leave the grasslands behind.

Night encounter: No

-1 ration. 6 left.

1 hex to Lhar.

Weather: 3 → Light rain

Lost? No

POI: No, Enc: No

A drizzle continues throughout the day as I ride my horse south.

In the distance, past the yellowing grasslands, I see green, dense and vibrant vegetation. The grass lengthens and the air grows humid as the day passes.

I arrive.

Night encounter: No

-1 ration. 5 left.

For weather from now on, I’ve combined Spring and Summer to create the warmest, wettest weather I can.

1: Clear 2: Cloudy 3: Light rain. 4: Heavy rain, 5: Heatwave. 6: Thunderstorm

XP +1.

Day 1 in Lhar

Weather: 5 → Heatwave. Intense heat makes travel arduous. 1/2 travel speed, -2 foraging, extra ration at day’s end

Lost? No

POI? Yes Enc? Yes

d36 POI = 23 → Four huge stone idols…

3d6 Encounter = Jaguar People hunting party

Reaction: 8 → Neutral

Jaguar are currently Friendly(6) with the Snake tribe, and at War (1,2) with the Bat and the Snake tribes.

The heat and humidity hit me hard as I trek through the thickening vegetation and dense greenery of the jungle.

I come upon four huge stone idols, taking the shape of a jaguar, a man-like bat, a serpent and a monkey.

Eight Jaguar warriors are placing fresh meat at the foot of the jaguar idol.

They notice me but do not show hostility.

I offer my bare hands to show I mean them no harm. “I search for the Valley of the Black Ziggurat,” I say. “Can you help me?”

Can they help? d6 = 5 → Yes

2d6 + PRE(1) = 5 → No

“You are outsider. Go back to the land of the grasses,” They say before moving on.

“Perhaps I can help you,” I say, stepping forward. “I can fight.”

One, a woman with black streaks marked across her eyes, looks me up and down. “Prove yourself, and we will tell you what we know.” They move as one into the foliage and I follow.

Bat or Snake? Snake

2d6 = 5 Snake warriors.

8 + PC = 9 vs 5. I want to make this quick, so I use the WARLORD! Mass Combat Rules from KA2.

Jaguar Tribe has 25% more troops. +1d6.

I use the yes/no oracle to determine the rest.

Are the Jaguar warriors veterans? Yes. +1d6. Snake? No

Do the Jaguar have a powerful commander? Yes. +1d6 Snake? No

Do the Jaguar have high morale? Yes. +1d6. Snake? No

Do the Snake Warriors have a Defensive Position? No

Is this a Surprise attack? No.

Do the Snake Warriors have terrain advantage? Yes. +1d6

Do the Snake Warriors have supernatural support? No.

5d6 vs 2d6 = 1 vs 0. -1d6 from the Snakes

5d6 vs 1d6 = 1 vs 1. Tie

5d6 vs 1d6 = 3 vs 0. -1d6 from the Snakes. 0d6.

d6 = 4. 40% of troops have been routed and fled, some captured for ransom or execution. We’ll say one fled, one was caught and executed, the rest slain or badly wounded.

How many do the Jaguars lose? d6 = 1.

Do I prove myself? 2d6 + STR = 4 → Failure

We plunge through the foliage, the woman leading.

As we burst from a tree line, I spot the enemy warriors at the top of the hill.

The Jaguars howl battle cries and charge up the hill towards the enemy.

It does not last long, a vicious melee of grit and blood.

One Jaguar throws a snake warrior from the hillside, dashing him on a jagged rock below.

Another slits the stomach open, spilling guts and intestines out onto the ground.

Before I can really engage with the enemy, it is over.

The woman looks at me and spits on the ground. “You prove nothing, grass-man. Be gone.”

I leave as they finish off the wounded.

-1 ration, 4 left.

Night encounter: None

Day 2 in Lhar

Weather: 3 → Light rain

Lost? Yes

POI? No, Enc? No

The next day brings a continuous drizzle.

Halfway through the day, I realize I’ve been traveling in circles, and am quite lost.

-1 ration, 3 left.

Night encounter: Yes

2d6 = 6 → Black Legion (If I have one criticism of KA, it’s that the 2d6 night encounter table isn’t great.) I reroll and get 7 → Nomads.

Which tribe? 1: Jaguar, 2: Snake, 3: Bat, 4: Monkey 1d4 = 2 → Snake.

d6 Nomads = 2.

Reaction: 7 → Neutral

I wake in the night to two warriors watching me.

They have snake tattoos on their faces.

“Do you know of the Valley of the Black Ziggurat?” I ask.

They nod. “Of course.”

“Can you help me find it?”

Can they? 2 → No.

They shake their heads and merge back into the dark depths of the jungle.

Day 3 in Lhar.

Weather: 2 → Cloudy

Lost? Yes

POI? Yes, Enc? Yes

POI: 22 → Shrine of the Solar Serpent

Enc: Shaman of the Monkey people, seeking herbs for visions

I hear some chanting and follow it, coming to a large group of priests chanting, near a giant pit in the ground.

I climb a tree to get a better look.

A handful of priests in snakeskin robes drag a naked man to the edge of the pit and drop him there, before bowing and retreating.

The man looks scared, cowering and shivering.

A bulk within the pit moves, rises and writhes, a massive snake-head uncoiling. It snaps down on the naked man, swallowing him in one gulp, before drawing back within the pit.

The chanting continues.

I climb down the tree carefully and try to leave without being noticed.

2d6 + AGI(1) = 13 → Critical success.

I get away with ease, and even manage to find a path of sorts to follow, no longer being lost.

Hours later, on the path, I stumble into a hooded figure with piercing eyes.

“I seek herbs, traveler, do you have any?” The figure, an old woman, asks. She has many tattoos, as well as bracelets, rings and earrings.

“I have Mor Blossoms,” I say. “Which I will trade for information.”

“What do you seek?”

“The Valley of the Black Ziggurat.”

The old lady cackles. “You seek your own doom. I should have known. Give me your Mor Blossoms and I will tell you how to get there.”

4 hexes South.

-1 ration. 3 left.

Night encounter: Yes.

5 → Skeleton Warriors (6)

Reaction: 12 → Actively helpful

In the night, I wake to skulls.

Skeletons stand around me, wearing armor, carrying weapons, though they appear to offer me no danger.

I stand, gather my things. Once I do, they wander off and I follow.

We walk through the night and in the morning, I have found the Valley of the Black Ziggurat.

It should have been much farther to the south.

The Skeleton Warriors wait for me to descend into the Valley.

They are my escort, apparently. They will aid me in my journey.

What does Father Wolf want me to do here? Acquire something? Kill the Apex Predator?

What will I find here?

XP + 2.

Lvl up to lvl 4.

+HP. 6d6 = 26 > 11. I gain +d6 hp. d6 = 2 → 13hp.

It’s fun to be back in the world of Kal Arath. Just rolling dice and seeing what happens.

As always, sound off with your suggestions, thoughts, ideas, criticisms and whatever else in the comments.

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here or from RPG-Trader here! You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Previous Chapters

Name: Calraith

STR: 1, AGI: 1, TOU: 0, INT: 1, PRE: 1

XP: 0

lvl: 4

Skills

-Rage (shapeshift): Add d6 rage/bloodlust damage until rage ends in d6 rounds. After rage ends, roll d6. On 1-3 you make all rolls at disadvantage until long rest. After a long rest you may rage again.

-Pact Of The Wilderness, Tier 1: Aspect of the Beast. Increase STR and AGI by +2 for d6 rounds. At the end of the spell, both stats are at -2 for d6 hours.

-Doom: The caster must not use metal weapons or armor. Violation breaks their pact and they lose all spells and powers.

HP: 13

FP: 1, refreshes every 5 days

Equipment: one good horse, 8 doses Mor blossom(+1 INT for 1 hour (50s), 3 rations, tent,(d6/d),

Weapons: Shortbow (4 arrows), Spear,

Armor: Leather (1 AP)

d6 = 4 → NPC. d6 = 1 → Prisoner

Is he guarded? 3 → No.

I head into the Valley with my retinue of six Skeleton Warriors.

Coming through a thick clutch of shrugs, I find a man, hands and feet bound. He is large, with a thick beard and long ratty hair.

“Help me,” he says. “Free me, before they come back!”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but they aren’t like you and me. They are like slaves, slaves to the Ziggurat. They grabbed me but left me here.”

“Who are you?”

d66 = 31 → Pit-fighter

“I was a pit-fighter. A good one. La-gul is my name. I was brought to Lhar and sold to one of the tribes. I escaped and found my way here.”

I cut his bonds.

“You are free to go, or join me. We can split any treasures we find.”

2d6 + PRE(1) = 12 → Success.

La’gul

(random) STR: 0 AGI: +2 TOU: +0 INT: +1 PRE: + 1

HP: 3

Viewing my skeleton warriors, he nods. “I will join you. Are you some sort of necromancer?”

I shake my head. “I know not why they are with me, but they are.”

“I’ll take my chances with you,” he says.

Passage/path to next area.

d6 = 4. No hazard/Fore

d6 = 2 → Hazard/Obstacle/Trap

2d6 = 2. d6 = 3. Trap sets off.

AGI checks

Calraith: 7 + 1 = 8 → Success

La-Gul: 13 → Success.

I’ll say the Skeleton Warriors fall. Luckily immune to poison and take piercing dmg at disadvantage.

SW HP: 7, 10, 6, 11, 3, 8

DMG: 2d6/d = 7, 3, 5, 6, 7, 5.

SW1 dies. SW2: 7hp. SW3: 1hp. SW4: 4hp. SW5 dies. SW6: 3hp

We follow a long narrow path cut through the vegetation, before opening to a larger dirt track.

Unfortunately, the dirt beneath our feet crumbles.

We scramble, La’gul and I diving for the end and making it.

The Warriors fall to the poisoned sticks below. Four of them pick themselves up and crawl out.

La’gul climbs down, retrieving leather armor and a sword from one of the dead skeleton warriors.

We continue on.

d6 = 3. d6 = 5 → Trap/obstacle

2d6 = 9. Do we set it off? 4 → No.

Following another path, La’gul stops me, pointing out thick stands of mushrooms bulging from the path and along limbs of nearby trees.

“I know those, do not disturb. They cause terrors and hallucinations.”

We carefully made our way through.

d6 = 3 → Foe

2d6 = 4 → Giant Cobra

4d6 = 17hp. Armor: Scales (1)

Attack: Bite (d6) Poison

Morale: 8

We find a large pool of water, trees growing out, vines hanging down.

Something moves along the surface, rises, hissing and spitting, a giant cobra.

Calraith retreats, drawing an arrow and firing. It glances off the beast’s hide.

The snake strikes at La’Gul, who dives to the side, then slashes his sword, catching the snake in the side.

The Skeleton Warriors attack, hacking at the creature’s scales.

The Cobra is soon overwhelmed and killed.

Initiative: 6 → PC goes first, then Cobra, then rest

Calraith moves back, draws arrow and fires. 2d6 + AGI(1) = 9 → Hits. d6 dmg = 2 - 1 = 1 dmg. Cobra: 16hp.

Cobra slithers and attacks La’gul. La’ Gul defends. 2d6 + AGI(2) = 8 → Success! Dodges the bite.

La’Gul attacks: 9 → Hit. d6 = 1 dmg. Blocked by scales.

Four skeleton warriors attack. (2d6+0) 3 Hit! 5, 4, 3 dmg. 4+3+2 = 9 dmg. Cobra at 7hp.

Init: 5

Calraith draws another arrow and fires (2 left). 6 → Misses.

Cobra attacks the SW that hit the hardest. SW defends 2d6+0 = 11.

La’ Gul attacks. 11. 3 dmg. Cobra at 5hp.

SW attack. 1 hits. 3 dmg. Cobra at 3hp.

Init: 6

Calraith fires another arrow. 1 left. Miss.

Cobra attacks La’gul. 10 → Defends!

La’ Gul attacks. Miss.

SW attack. 2 hit. 4 dmg, Cobra dies.

“I am glad I came upon you,” I say to La’gul.

He nods. “Just make sure it’s worth it.”

“Half of whatever we find,” I say. “I promise.”

I roll for the next area which is directly connected to this one. I get another Foe.

Corrupted Shaman + d6 Ziggurat Slaves (3)

CS: 7hp. ZS HP: 2,2,4

Our battle draws attention. Three sickly bodies and a Shaman emerge, ready to attack.

The shaman raises his hands and thrusts them forward. A whirlwind of thorns, limbs and debris assails us, tearing the skeletons apart.

A tree limb strikes La’gul, knocking him unconcious.

I try to cast Nature of the Beast, but I do not feel the connection to Father Wolf.

I shapeshift into a werewolf and leap at the Shaman, clawing him into pieces.

The Ziggurat slaves surround me, slamming me with clubs.

I get knocked down.

The clubs drop onto me, breaking me.

I struggle to stand, a club knocks me in the snout.

I feel teeth and bone shatter.

I fall, and everything goes dark.

Init: 3 → Lose. Shaman first.

Shaman casts Green Rage. 2d6 + 2= 12.

3d6 dmg = 11.

Calraith drops to 3hp. La’Gul drops to 0.

2d6 = 8 → Unconcious 2d6(11) rounds.

Skeleton Warriors are killed.

2 in 6 chance caster takes dmg = 1 → takes half dmg. -5 hp.

CS at 2hp.

Calraith casts Nature of the Beast

2d6+1 = 3 → Critical Failure, Fate Point = 5. Fail.

SHAPESHIFTS into werewolf/RAGE for d6 (6) rounds.

Attacks Shaman. 2d6 + 1 = 9 → Hits. d6+d6 dmg. = 5 - 1 bone armor = 4. Caster drops to 0.

Slaves attack. Pack Tactics.

Defend: 2d6 - 1 = 8. Defend: 2d6 - 2 = 7 → Gets hit. d6 = 6! + d6(3) = 9. Drops to 0.

2d6 = 10 → Knocked down. Defend at disadvantage: 6,6,5 → Success.

Init: 1.

Defend at disadvantage: 2d6 - 1 = 5 → Get hit.

2d6 - 2 = 6 → Broken, Slashed, or Pierced. -1 HP permanently (Max 12hp). D6 (6) days to heal unless magically healed.

Calraith stands up.

Defend: 2d6 - 2 = 4 → Gets hit.

2d6 - 4 = 3 → Fatal Wound. Die in d6(1) rounds.

Defend: 2d6 - 3 = 1 → Hit.

2d6 - 6 = 0 → Instant Death

Sarnara blocked a blow with her shield before chopping her sword into her opponent’s neck. He went down, gurgling, blood spraying out of his open throat.

She thrust her sword into the air to the roar of the crowd.

“You are good. You could be better,” the man said. “Join me, and I will take you to the Great Arena.”

Sarnara shook her head. “No, stable master, I will take you.”

So we come to the end of Calraith’s tale, the dangers of the Black Ziggurat claiming him.

We turn to Sarnara’s tale, and I turn to KA3, Lord of the Pit, a zine which provides more in-depth combat rules, an entire system of pit-fighting your way to glory, as well as a ‘stable master’ campaign, and a city-crawl of Thraz!

I can’t wait to check out the new rules and zine!

In other good news, the good folk at Free League were nice enough to provide me with review copies of Dragonbane, Forbidden Lands and The Walking Dead! After 4+ years of writing substack Actual Plays and articles, and gaining readers steadily (1000+), this is the first time I’ve actually received a review copy of something to review for my substack, which is very cool! It’s also the first time I worked up the courage to ask.

Now I need to decide which game to do after this pit-fighting campaign. Help me out! I’ll run this poll for a week, combine the totals with the 24hr poll I posted a Note about today, and go with whichever gets the most votes!

Look forward to that after this Kal Arath campaign!

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! It’s on sale until end of May along with the supplement, Zona Nole. You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here or from RPG-Trader here! You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Previous Entry

Characters- Codename: Gadyuka aka “Viper”/ Background:Crime

Goal: Learn / Detail: Albino /+0MUS/+1FIN/+2VIG/+1MIN/+0PRE

HP:6/11/FP:1/XP:0/lvl:3

Skills: Combat Master → Can defend an additional time before taking on penalties.

*Quickdraw → When using a handgun or revolver, gain +1 to initiative when combat begins.

Gear: 15c, 1 bandage, 4 Food, 3 Scrap, Knife, Bedroll, Backpack, coffee beans, detailed map, guitar, crowbar, 10ft rope

• Weapons: Revolver (d6, 4) SMG (d6/a 0)

• Remnants: “Fear Box” remnant: Dark, cubic, plastic, Weak, inspire fear, taste bile, Activation: concentration

*Companion: Warlord +1MUS/+2FIN/+1VIG/+1MIN/+0PRE/+1LOY*/

HP: 9/Skill: *Bear: Wearing Heavy Armor doesn’t reduce FIN.

Weapon: poor Combat Shotgun 2d6(5 rounds)/Armor:Heavy(+3)

Gear: 6 food, 3 bandages, 9 scrap, 4 grenades (2 shrapnel, 1 tear gas, 1 flashbang), Police Baton, Pain Pills (1), Knife,

“He’s not getting away,” Liza says, chasing after the bandit.

In the sudden silence after battle, Gadyuka shakes her head, uses a bandage and patches herself up, grunting in pain.

Using a bandage after battle heals 1+VIG, Gadyuka heals 3hp and is at 9hp.

Warlord unjams his shotgun. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Gadyuka and Warlord leave the museum, finding no sign of Liza. They decide they’re done with this town and head north, camping a short distance outside of town.

Night

-2 food, 8 left

Encounter: yes → feral dog

Reaction: Neutral

In the night, Gadyuka wakes to a snuffling sound, a feral dog sniffing around them, uncaring of their presence. She tosses the dog some food (-1). It takes it and runs off into the night.

Day 2

6 days from the Barrier, due North

Warlord offers Gad one of his bandages. She replaces her old one and rolls +MIN(1). 2d6 + 1 = 5 → Failure. Still 9/11 hp.

Weather: Light fog

Lost? Yes

POI: No, Encounter: No

“This fog is a bitch,” Warlord says, pointing at a the rusted frame of a car. “This is the third time we’ve passed that hunk of junk.”

Gadyuka growls. “Fine, we’ll just camp here for now. Maybe the fog will pass by tomorrow.”

-2 food (5 left)

Night encounter: Yes

Encounter: Trader with 4 Mercenaries

Reaction: 8 → Neutral

In the night, they wake to the sound of boots nearby.

“Who’s there,” Gad calls out, hand on her revolver, trying to see in the dim moonlight.

“Name’s Skaner, a humble trader.”

“And those with you?” Warlord calls, standing, shotgun in hand.

“A trader needs bodyguards in the zone, yes? Do you mind if we stay with you and perhaps you need something I have…”

Warlord looked at Gad. “Fine,” she says. “But we all unload our guns in view, understood?”

“Yes, yes, that is fine.”

To determine goods, I’ll just roll like I would for settlement size to see what he might have available

d6 = 1 → Small

Available Gear for sale:

Common - Any // Uncommon - d6: 1-3 = No, 4-6 = Yes

Scarce - d6: 1-5 = No, 6 = Yes

9mm → Uncommon. Does he have any? d6 = 4 → Yes, d6(6) rounds, cost d6x5cr = 1x5 = 5 cr.

Gad purchases the 6 rounds for 5 cr. Great deal! 10cr left.

.38 special rounds → Uncommon. d6 = 2 → None

“Got ammo?”

“Just 9mm.”

“Ain’t worth much…” Gad says, shaking her head.

“Make ya a deal, 6 bullets for 5 cr.”

Gad shrugs. “Alright, that works.”

In the morning, the two groups make awkward goodbyes and move on.

Warlord tries to work on his poor Combat Shotgun and get it back in better condition.

Requires 3 scrap, Warlord spends 2 extra to give the roll +2.

2d6 + MIN(1) + 2 = 8 + 3 = 11 → Success!

Success = it works but spends all the scrap.

Scrap: 4

Shotgun is no longer in poor condition

“There we go,” Warlord said, looking it over.

Gad replaces a bandage. 2d6 + MIN(1) = 8 → Success.

Heals d6(6) + VIG(2) = +8hp. Back at 11hp, full.

“Let’s get on the road,” Gad says.

“What road?” Warlord asks, looking at the abandoned fields around them.

“You’re a smart ass, you know that?”

Weather: Cloudy

Lost: no

6 days from barrier

POI: No E: No

They make their way north, able to find their way since the fog had lifted.

The day is eerily quiet, as they trudge over rolling hills devoid out of sight of any civilization.

-2 food, 3 left

Night E: None

5 days from The Barrier

Weather: 3 → Cloudy

Lost? No

POI: No E: Yes

E*: d6(3) drug seekers

Reaction: 7 → Neutral

Range: Close

Three figures emerge from behind a ruined house. Their clothes are mostly rags, and one of them is twitchy, eyes glancing wildly.

“Got anything? Anything to take the edge off?” One, a woman, asks, reaching out a hand.

“No,” Gad states simply, hand on the holster of her gun before moving off.

-2 food, 1 left.

Night E: No

4 days from Barrier

Weather: Clear, +2 Navigate, +2 Scavenge

*Terrain: 5 → Marsh, Swamp

Lost: No

Scavenge: 4+2 = 6. Stash and Bonus. 5 Food + random gear

Rarity: 2d6 = 9 → Uncommon. *Uncommon Table: d3, d6 = 2,3 → scrap(d6) = 5

POI: Yes. *d66 = Tree, the only living thing in a field of dirt

Encounter: Yes. *d66 = 2d6(10) believers looking for “The Black Rock”

Range: 5 → Far.

“I hate this shit,” Warlord says, picking his boots out of the muck.

They stagger through the dead swamp, pale, lifeless once-trees standing around, no sign of anything living now.

“Look at this,” he says, coming upon a corpse face down in the mud, pack on their back. “Fella fell and stayed that way.” Going through the pack, he found cans of food and a some scrap.

“Keep moving,” Gad said, pushing forward.

They emerge from the mire onto a field of dirt, in the distance, a lone, huge tree, thick trunk, limbs bustling with leaves.

Beneath it stands a group of figures.

Gad and Warlord approach cautiously, guns out, as the figures notice them.

Reaction: 5 → Angered/Hostile

The figures wear robes and carry hand weapons. A few raise them and yell.

Gad and Warlord stop. “We mean you no harm!” Gad called out.

“Where is the Black Rock? Tell us! Tell us!” The figures scream.

Roll: 2d6 + PRE(0) = 7 → Failure

“I don’t like this,” Warlord says.

The Believers charge, howling.

“Back, back,” Gad calls, back-pedaling before taking a knee and drawing aim.

Warlord followed suit, as the howling maniacs charge across the dirt.

Fire, retreat, fire, as the maniacs get closer and closer. One goes down, maybe two before Gadyuka and Warlord are swarmed.

Warlord tosses a few grenades but they all miss.

Gadyuka fires until she’s out of ammo.

The Believers are swinging crowbars and bats and clubs with both hands, screaming about the Black Rock.

Gadyuka tries to use her remnant from her bag, the Black Box but to no avail.

A club cracks her across the head but she manages to remain standing, that is until a meat cleaver hacks off her right arm. She falls with a scream.

Warlord fires again and again with his shotgun, the Believer’s weapons slamming off his armor again and again, until a crowbar cracks him across the back of the head, hard, laying him out cold.

Round 1:

Range: Far.

Init: 1d6 + FIN(1) +1 quickdraw = 4. Gad + Warlord go first.

They retreat back towards the Swamp, moving from Far to Extreme.

The Believers move twice, moving from Extreme to Medium.

Gad fires at the lead runner.

2d6 + FIN(1) = 10 → Hit. d6 dmg = 3, hp of Believer = 4 → 1

Warlord tosses Tear Gas. 2d6 + MUS(1) for distance = 8 → Success.

2d6 + FIN(2) to hit = 7 → Fate point → 7 → Miss.

The grenade goes wide.

Round 2: Init: 1d6 + 1 = 4 → Gad + Warlord

Gad fires at the injured one. 2 rounds left.

2d6 + 1 = 8. Hit! dmg = 2 → Believer dead. 9 remaining.

Warlord fires combat shotgun at another. 2d6 + 2 = 14 → Crit! Double damage! 4d6 = 14. Believer gets blasted. 8 remaining. 4 rounds left.

Gad and Warlord retreat to Far distance.

Believers move twice, from Far to Short.

Round 3. Init: 3 → Believers go first. Fate point! 4 → PCs go first

Gad retreats to Medium and fires.

2d6 + 1 = 8 → Hit. d6 = 4 dmg! Believer health: d6 = 6. Down to 2hp.

Warlord tosses a shrapnel grenade at the group. 2d6 + FIN(2) = 7 → Miss. Retreats to Medium.

Believers move twice from Medium to Point Blank.

Round 4: Init: 6 → PCs go.

Gad retreats to Short, fires at injured Believer. 2d6 + FIN(1) = 8 → Hit. d6 dmg = 3. Dead. 7 Believers remaining. Out of Ammo.

Warlord retreats to Short range, tosses his last shrapnel grenade. 2d6 + FIN(2) = 6 → Miss.

Believers move to Point Blank and attack with hand weapons. Four go for Warlord and 3 go for Gadyuka.

Gadyuka → Defend: 2d6 + 1 = 11 → Dodge! 2d6 + 1 (Combat Master) = 7 → Get’s hit. d6+1 dmg = 4. hp = 7/11. Defend 3rd time: 2d6 + 0 = 11 → Dodge!

Warlord → Defend: 2d6 + 2 = 7, gets hit. d6 dmg = 3+1 = 4 - 3 Heavy armor. Takes 1 dmg, 8/9. Defend: 2d6 + 1 = 11 → Defend. Defend 3rd time: 2d6 + 0 = 6. Hit. d6 + 1 = 1+1 = 2. Armor blocks. Defend 4th time: 2d6 - 1 = 6 → Hit. d6 + 1 = 2 → Armor blocks.

Round 5: Init: 3 + 1 = 4. PC’s go first.

Gad throws her bag down, reaches in and touches the Remnant. 2d6 + MIN(1) to activate = 6 → Failure.

Warlord fires his shotgun. 2d6 + FIN(2) = 7 → Miss. 3 rounds left.

Gad defend’s against three attacks. 9 → Dodge. 7 hit. 7 hit. d6 + 1 dmg = 5, d6 + 1 dmg = 3. 8 dmg. Drops to 0. VIG check: 2d6 + 2 = 9 → Success! No Critical Wound yet.

Warlord defend’s against four attacks. 9 → Dodge. 8 → Dodge. 6 → Hit. 9 → Dodge. d6+1 dmg = 5. Takes 2 dmg. 6/9

Round 6: Init: 2 → PCs go last.

Gad defend’s. 11 → Dodge. Critical Failure! Hit. 2d6 + VIG(2) vs 9 = 8 → Fail. Critical Wound: d66* = 22 → Severed Right Arm. Death in 2d6(6) rounds w/o heal check + bandage. -2 MUS permanently. d6(2) days to heal past 50% hp.

Gad collapses.

Third moves to Warlord.

Warlord defends against 5 attacks. 13. 5. dg+1 dmg = 4 - 3 = 1. 5/9. 10. 10. 8.

Warlord fires. 2d6 + 2. 6 → Miss. 2 rounds left.

Gad, bleeding out, reaches in with her good arm to touch the box and try again. 2d6 + MIN(1) = 10 → Success. She is able to affect 1 target, making a Believer collapse in sudden fright. This leaves 5 remaining.

Morale roll: 2d6 + PRE(0) vs 10 = 7 → Fail.

Init: d6 + 1 = 4. PCs go first.

Warlord fires. 13 → Hit! 2d6 dmg = 3. Believer health: d6 = 2. Dead! 4 left. 1 round left.

Gad tries to use the box again. 5 rounds until death. 2d6 + MIN = 4 → Fail.

Warlord defends against 4 attacks. 10. 9. 4. Hit. 3. Hit. d6 + 1 = 7 dmg - 3 = 4 dmg. 2/9. d6 + 1 dmg = 7 - 3 = 4 dmg. Drops to 0. 2d6 + VIG(1) = 6 → Fail. d66* Critical Wound = 14 → Near death, incapacitated for d6(5) hours. Wake up at 0 hp and bleeding.

Gadyuka watches as the Believers remaining begin stripping Warlord of his armor and things.

A couple do the same to her. “Wait…” she grunts. “Please…”

The pain is intense. “Save me,” she says. “And I’ll take you to the Black Rock!”

2d6 + PRE(0) = 5 → Fail.

Just for fun, if they did try to heal her: 2d6 + 1 = 4 → Fail.

“The Zone saves,” one of the Believers says, a woman with long black hair, carrying the meat cleaver that had taken Gadyuka’s arm. “And it provides.”

The meat cleaver came down.

Hours later.

Warlord blinks his eyes, his head pounding. Reaching back, he can feel the stickiness of blood on the back of his head from a bad wound. He sits up, sees Gadyuka lying nearby. He crawls over, sees her severed arm and massive cut across her throat, her eyes long since glazed over.

He looks around.

They took everything.

Well, not everything. A bandage, lying on the ground, left behind.

For him? Or just forgotten?

He wraps the bandage around his head carefully, wincing at the pain from the pressure.

He stands and starts heading north.

He doubts he will get very far.

Poor Gadyuka, killed by a psychotic mob of Believers. Pour some out for the albino bounty hunter of Niv Lova.

What’s coming next? A return to Kal Arath! Check here to catch up on the story of Calraith, a werewolf who died and was returned to life by Father Wolf to battle the Demon-lord Akkai, as he travels south with a Pit Fighter to the Jungles of Lhar (from KA2: Valley of the Black Ziggurat)!

As always, sound off with your suggestions, thoughts, ideas, criticisms and whatever else in the comments.

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Fletcher headed back into Level 99, returning to the sounds and sights of frivolity. He saw the faces of people enthralled by the screens in front of them, slamming the buttons as fast as they could, lights reflecting of their eyes, their faces slack-jawed, lost in the false joy of it all.

Did he hate them or was he jealous?

It wasn’t long before a couple big guys found him and ‘offered to take him to meet Ms. Rhyne’. They took him into the back, down a long corridor and into an alleyway in the back of the arcade, a van with the back doors open sat idling.

“I don’t see-”

Elsa came from around the van, pistol pointed at him. “Hand over your gun, detective.”

“You’re threatening an officer of the law? You sure you want to do that? You kill me and the whole LAPD will come down on here. I don’t think you want that. I don’t think Carla wants that.”

“Gun. Now.”

The two big bouncers were close, ready to grab him if he made a move.

Fletcher carefully unholstered his PK-D and offered it up. “Now can we talk?”

One of the bouncers took it.

“Not here,” Elsa said. She nodded at the van. “Get in.”

Dee sat at a console in an unused office, scrolling through the DiJi records of Maxwell Jaenke. Hours and hours of footage, which, even with her ability to scan faster than humanly possible, took time.

Clue: 3 → Affirms a previous fact or clue. Was Max involved with the Rebellion? d10 = 9 → Yes.

Hypothesis: Rebellion is behind the heist: d8 → d10

Did Max get intimately involved with a replicant? d10 = 10 → Extreme yes.

Finally, something of interest. Someone new had come into his life, he told his DiJi.

A replicant.

Someone from work.

“Her name is Elsa…”

Dee took the relevant recordings and uploaded it to the mainframe through her Esper tool in her Spinner.

I always forget about “uploading” evidence. oops!

She tried to get a hold of Fletcher but got nothing.

Was that concern she felt? No. But she noticed the lack of concern. As if she should feel concern but she didn’t. Why should she feel concern for her human partner? Because they had worked together?

She moved on, heading back inside and down to the Records Library. Hopefully they had information on this ‘Elsa’.

Deep in the bowels of the massive building, she passed through solemn tunnels, to a low opening, yellow lighting, behind which sat a bald man. “Any response to my inquiry?” she asked, bending down to look at the man.

He nodded. “Yes, we have something.”

Sphere: Warfare + Security

“She was a soldier in one of the off-world wars. High-level abilities. Strong, fast, deadly.” The man passed over a copy of the records, including a picture. “No records after incept-date and off-world delivery.” The man passed over a copy of the information. “You might be able to access some of her install memories at the Vault. Someone will meet you to guide you.”

“Yes, thank you,” Dee said, reviewing the information she’d been given, before making her way to the Memory Vault.

The interior of Wallace Headquarters was a maze of tall, long corridors.

Quiet, hushed, like a tomb. A staff member here or there, moving with purpose.

Completely impractical but perhaps that was the point.

At the vault, a women with a shaved head and wearing tan robes walked her through the stacks. Stopping at one, she tapped a slot on the stacks and a small shelf slid out, revealing a memory stick. She took it and walked towards one end of the vault, into a small viewing room, setting it into the viewscreen against the wall. “Let me know when you are finished,” the woman said, stepping out and closing the door.

The memory began playing. Dee watched as the memory played out, as if she was seeing through Elsa’s eyes.

Key Memory

When: d6 = 2 → Childhood

Where: d12 = Farmstead

Who was there? d12 = Sibling

What happened? d12 = You took part in a violent crime, or witnessed one.

Cipher = d6,d12 + d6, 12 → “Capture” “Law”

Dee shuddered and closed her eyes. Why would they give Elsa such a terrible memory?

‘It requires anger to be a soldier’ a voice spoke.

She opened her eyes, alert, looking around, but she was alone. Besides, she hadn’t spoken aloud, it had simply been a thought. She went to the door and knocked.

The woman opened it. “Finished?”

“Yes.”

“Max hooked up with Elsa and became a sympathizer. It’s highly likely she convinced him to let the crew into the building and then was likely the one who killed him at his safe house after,” Dee reported to Holden.

“So, the Rebellion is behind this?” Holden grumbled over the call.

“Unless she was working for a rival corporation for some reason. What has Fletcher got? I can’t get ahold of him.”

“No idea, I know he was here but he left a little while ago. He hasn’t been taking his Spinner since the assassination attempt so I don’t know where the hell he is, the bastard.”

“What was he doing at HQ?”

“Checking the Esper Wall for signs of Elsa. Maybe he found something.”

“Can you send the last few vids he was watching to my Esper Machine?”

“Yeah, I’ll get someone on it right away.”

While Dee waited, sitting in her Spinner, she idly felt the fake fish souvenir in her pocket. Sign of nervousness? What was she nervous about?

She gripped the wheel until her knuckles were white. What was she feeling? Where was Fletcher?

It was like him to go off on his own without telling anyone.

“Asshole,” she muttered. But why did she care so much? He was just a partner. A tool. A part of the job. She supposed if he died, it would make her job more difficult. Perhaps that was why she cared.

A beep from her Esper took her out of her head and she checked it. “Play recordings at 5x speed,” she said.

The recordings played, a series of clips of grainy footage clearly following a woman who looked like Elsa as she moved through the city, the last clip showing her ducking into Level 99.

The hood came off.

Fletcher blinked his eyes at the sudden light. His hands were tied behind his back, and he sat in a chair facing Elsa, in a small, room with covered windows.

Elsa still held the gun, down at her side.

They were alone in the room.

“You going to kill a blade runner? Seems like a bad idea,” Fletcher said. “This isn’t even the first time I’ve been kidnapped.” He smirked.

She walked forward and gently pressing her hand against his wound.

He grunted in pain.

“I could have finished you off. This is your one and only chance. You walk away from this case before you lose your life.”

Fletcher licked his split bottom lip. “You already took a shot at me once. Though, I didn’t realize the Rebellion was in the habit of hiring Corpo assassins.”

Her eyes widened briefly and she turned away.

“What does the Rebellion want with an animoid anyway?”

She shook her head. “If they’ve come at you, already, they will again.” She looked at him. “Or they’ll come after someone close to you.”

“Who’s they? The Rebellion? Are you threatening my family?” Fletcher struggled against his bonds.

“Don’t move too much or you’ll open up that wound. Think about your options or lack thereof, Eddie. I’ll be back soon,” she said and left, closing the door behind her.

He gritted his teeth. If his family was in trouble, he needed to get out of there and to a phone.

But he had learned something. The way she spoke, it didn’t feel like the Rebellion was behind this.

Dee entered the Arcade, advertisements and games calling out for players, blaring blings and blips and chirps and beeps, but the patrons were few and far between. The place was open 24/7 but clearly, morning was a quieter time.

She headed to the back bar, a man sat behind it, dozing with head and arms on the counter. She took a seat and knocked on the counter to wake him up.

He grumbled, opening his eyes and standing. “Whattaya want, miss?”

“Not here for drinks or games. I want to speak to Carla Rhyne, now.”

A moment. “Never heard of her.”

“Tell her a member of the RDU needs to speak with her.” Dee showed her badge.

Empathy + Manipulation w/advantage: 3d8 = 7,3,3 → One Success

“Alright, alright,” the man says, going to a phone attached to the back wall. He picked it up and spoke to someone on the other side. After a few moments, he hung it up. “It will be a few minutes. It’s not the most convenient of times. Want something to drink while ya wait?”

“Got coffee?” Dee asked.

After sipping coffee for about ten minutes, a woman came out, dressed in punk clothing, with a neon green mohawk. “Follow me,” she said and headed into the back.

Dee left the coffee and followed the woman into a back VIP room.

Sitting on the couch was Carla Rhyne, wearing tight black spandex, hair pulled into a bun, no make-up, a sheen of sweat on her face. She smiled. “Tell me, detective ‘Remedy’, why the RDU is bothering me in the middle of my work out in the early hours of the morning?”

“Call me Dee,” Dee replied, the name ‘Remedy’ causing a stirring in her gut, an unpleasant feeling, a reminder of something she forgot. “How do you know my name?

“So be it, Dee,” Carla said. “It’s my job to know things.”

A man appeared with a glass full of green liquid, which he placed in front of Carla.

“Smoothie, it’s got everything the body needs. Want one? Of course, your ‘body’ doesn’t really ‘need’ like ours do, right?” Carla said, not really a question.

“My partner, detective Fletcher was last seen entering this arcade last night and hasn’t been seen since.”

Carla picked her glass up and drank a couple gulps, grimacing. “Unfortunately, the taste is rather lacking.” She placed the glass back down. “Unfortunately, detective Fletcher has a habit of bothering me in my place of business due to a misunderstanding in the past. I’ve considered pressing charges in fact, for disrupting my business without cause or evidence. Men, sometimes they can never let go of the past, you know?” Carla smirked, turning her head. “Or maybe, you wouldn’t know, would you?”

“I’d like to speak to anyone working last night. Did you speak with him?”

Carla took another drink of smoothie and wiped her mouth. “No, I did not. I did not even know he was here until he left. He came, got drunk, bothered my employees and left. He’s probably sleeping it off in an alley or at his pathetic hotel room.” She finished her smoothie and set the glass down. “Poor daughter, I feel for her, I do.” She looked at Dee.

Dee’s hands clenched into fists. Why? What was this? Anger. Fury. Irritation. Carla was trying to bait her, to make her mad, but why was it working? Because she was hindering her case or because she cared for Fletcher?

Empathy + Insight: 2d8 = 1,3 → No Successes

Dee couldn’t tell if Carla was lying or not. “What’s your connection to Elsa Machesky?”

Empathy + Manipulation vs Empathy + Insight

2d8 vs d8 + d6 = 6,7 vs 4,6 → Two Successes vs One Success

Carla hesitated, eyes flashing. “I don’t know who that is.”

“Elsa Machesky is a N-8 fugitive and was last seen entering your business, mere hours before detective Fletcher. I could bring SWAT down here, a full raid, and I doubt that would be good for business, Ms. Rhyne.”

Clue: Contradicts a previous fact or clue

“I’m not sure why you threw in with the Rebellion…” Dee went on.

“It’s not the Rebellion,” Carla blurted, then put a hand to her mouth.

Dee smiled. “You can either talk here or back at the RDU. With a known replicant fugitive and missing detective both shown to enter the premises, you’re in deep shit and I got more than enough to bring you in.”

How does Carla know Elsa? Cipher = Freedom

Carla closed her eyes, silently muttering the word ‘fuck’. She took a deep breath, then opened them. “I told her not to come back here…”

“What’s your connection to her?”

“I gave her freedom. She did some work for me. I provided her a new identity. She found a job at Diseth and worked her way up. Quickly.”

“You kept in touch?”

“No,” Carla replied. “We were done, like I said.”

“But she got into some trouble. Reached out,” Dee guessed.

Did Carla pay the heist crew? d10 = 3 → No

Carla nodded. “But I told her we were done, I couldn’t help her.”

“So you didn’t hire the crew for the heist?”

Carla smirked. “Those nobodies? Who tried to get me in trouble with a cheap level 99 ring? No. I wasn’t involved.”

“But she still came here after she was found out. You helped her, then.”

Carla nodded. “My biggest mistake. She came, said she wasn’t followed. Then, Eddie showed up too. She took him. I didn’t know he had a partner. Last I knew he was working the case solo.”

“Where are they?"

Carla looked into Dee’s eyes. “I can tell you now, and you can let me run. Or you can arrest me and you get nothing.”

Dee considered the proposal.

It was clearly against protocol.

A voice in her head, surprisingly male for some reason, told her not to do it.

“The plan was for Elsa to scare Fletcher into dropping the case, but we didn’t figure on you. I’m not sure Fletcher’s going to scare, anyway, and well, you can guess the alternative, so I’m not sure how long you got.”

The voice in her head, ‘he’s just a partner, a human, not worth endangering your career, your life’.

“You bring me to them, I let you go. It’s the only way I can trust your information. Deal?”

Carla leaned forward and nodded. “Deal.”

Fletcher tried to get out of his bonds.

Agility + Stealth at disadvantage: d10 = 8 → Success!

He managed to squirm his hands free and begin pulling the ropes off.

He glanced around the room. Windows were covered with plywood, light seeping in the sides. Maybe this had once been an office, now abandoned. He went to the door, gently tried the doorknob.

Is it locked? Likely. 2d10 = 6,10 → Extreme yes

Locked and solid. No busting through the door. He went to one of the windows.

He got his fingers around the edge of the plywood and started pulling.

“Is she alone?”

Is she alone? Likely. 2d10 = 1,3 → No.

Is it one of Carla’s guys? 9 → Yes.

Carla shook her head. “I sent her with one of my trusted guys. He’ll shoot anyone he sees but me.”

They rode in Dee’s spinner, heading toward Sector 5, the Central District.

“She has him in the second floor office of an abandoned data center.”

Dee put down a block away. “You’re coming with until I get visual confirmation. Understood?”

Carla sighed and nodded.

Dee put out a call to Dispatch. “I need back-up, anyone in the area, ASAP. Officer wounded.” Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to wait. She looked at Carla. “Let’s move.”

Strength + Force: d6 + d6 = 1,1 → No successes

The plywood doesn’t budge.

“Fuck,” Fletcher muttered to himself.

He got close to the door. Best he could do was ambush Elsa, but he doubted he could take her in hand to hand combat.

Agility + Stealth: d10 + d8 = 5,3 → Push → 7,7 → Two Successes

Critical Success → confident, commit to current course of action. Recover one point of Resolve.

The door opened.

Carla walked in front to the door of the data center. The place looked truly abandoned, concrete block of a building, no windows on the first floor, board-up windows on the second. She knocked on the door.

It opened a few inches, then more once Carla’s face was seen.

A man stood behind it, gun in hand, question on his face.

Carla jerked her head to the side. “Get out of here Jonah, job’s over. For good, get it?”

He glanced at Dee, then back at Carla, before holstering his pistol and leaving.

They entered, the first floor one large room with empty shelves where servers would’ve sat in racks. Stairs in the corner. Noises coming from above, loud noises.

“Shit,” Dee said, drawing her gun and sprinting for the stairs.

Strength + HtH at disadvantage (broken fingers): d8 = 4 → Push → 6 → One success. Special Attack: Wrestle a hand-held item from an opponents grasp.

Elsa walked in, noted the chair was empty, turned and was tackled by Fletcher.

He slammed into her, both hands grabbing the gun in her hand and yanking it out of her grasp. He turned it at her. “Don’t!” he shouted. “Hands up!”

Elsa moved fast, knocking the barrel of the gun up and kicked her foot forward, right into Eddie’s knee, snapping it.

He crumpled to the ground, crying out.

Does she surrender? d10 = 1 → Extreme No

She attacks. HtH vs Firearms (disadvantage) d10 + d8 vs d10

9,6 vs 2 → Push → 2. Two Successes vs 0. Critical Success. 2 dmg. Eddie at 3 Health.

Crit die: d10 = 7 n→ Broken leg. You can’t stand upright. Crawling is the only possible method of movement.

She stepped over him and grabbed the gun out of his hands. “It doesn’t look like I’m going to convince you to back off,” she said, pointing it down at him.

“Freeze!” Dee yelled, coming through the door, gun pointed at Elsa. “Drop the gun!”

I look back at her previous response to the same question: extreme no. If it was a regular no, I would reroll, but since it’s extreme, she’s not going down without a fight.

But…then I remember that Dee knows something, something interesting…

“I know about your sister!” Dee blurted out.

Elsa hesitated, eyes widening.

“I know she was taken from you.”

Elsa closed her eyes and shook her head.

Empathy + Manipulation w/advantage: 3d8 = 4,7,4 → One success

“I can only imagine how it hurts to live with such a memory. Even with the knowledge that it wasn’t real.”

“It feels fucking real,” Elsa grunted, gritting her teeth, tears streaming down her face. “It feels really fucking real.”

Dee took a step forward. Then another. “Drop the gun, Elsa. It’s over.”

With Dee’s success, I’m going to ask the oracle if she does surrender this time.

d10 = 1 → EXTREME NO

Elsa’s eyes snapped open, her hand whipping her gun up at Dee.

Dee fired first.

Elsa’s head rocked back. She staggered, dropping her gun, hands going to her head, before collapsing onto the ground.

Initiative: 2, 1 → Dee goes first

Dee fires. Agility + Firearms: d12 + d8 = 2,4 → Push → 7,7 → Two Successes. Two damage + Crit.

Crit Die: d12 = 6 → Cracked Skull.

Dee moved forward, gun still trained on Elsa, who was rolling on the floor, moaning and bleeding from her skull.

She crouched down by Fletcher. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“My family,” he grunted. “My daughter’s in trouble. Elsa said they would go after them.”

“Back-up will be here any minute,” Dee said.

Fletcher shook his head. “No time.” He struggled to crawl towards the door. “I have to go…”

“Fletcher,” Dee said but he ignored her. She finally put a hand on his shoulder, gripping hard. “Eddie,” she said, softly.

He stopped, looking at her.

“Holden had officers check in with your family once we realized you’d gone missing, and has had them stationed outside the home since. They’re okay.

Everything’s okay.”

Fletcher awoke to the smell of coffee.

Dee sat by his side, a styrofoam white cup in each hand.

He sat up, grimacing in pain and reached for one.

She handed it to him.

“Straight from the vending machine?” he asked.

She nodded and smiled. “Just how you like it.”

He took a sip and nodded, closing his eyes. “Thank you.” After a moment, he looked at her. “How’d everything shake out?”

Dee shrugged. “Elsa gave us everything. How Carla had gotten her a new life, new ID. How Wildner Biotech had been spying on Diseth employees for blackmail material. Guess they never expected to hit the jackpot, finding a higher-up who’s an N-8. They used that to blackmail her. She hired a crew when Carla wouldn’t help, used Maxwell to let them in.”

“She killed Maxwell,” Fletcher said, sipping.

“Yes. She had documents and data on Wildner, on who was involved, did her homework, figured it was her insurance they wouldn’t keep bothering her after the deed was done. Lucky for us, gives us everything we need.”

“And Carla?”

Dee shook her head. “She vacated the premises as soon as I left her side. She’s on the run.”

Fletcher looked out the window, at blackness of the night. “And Elsa? Now?”

Dee set her coffee down on the counter. “She’s set for retirement. Soon.”

“Of course,” Fletcher said, looking back at Dee. “You going to go see her before?”

Dee looked at the floor. “Why…why would I?”

Fletcher shrugged. “You saw her memories. That felt…personal.”

Dee looked up at him. “I used data to help apprehend a fugitive, illegal replicant. That’s all.”

“Okay, okay,” Fletcher said. He drank more coffee. “This is damn good,” he said.

Dee picked her cup back up and took a sip, then shook her head. “Tastes like shit, as always.”

Fletcher laughed, then winced. “Ya know, Dee, I was worried, when I heard about your…’recalibration’.”

“Why?”

Fletcher looked into his cup. “I wasn’t sure what they were…doing to you. I wasn’t sure you’d be the same when you came back.” He turned to her, smiling. “But you’re still you, I can tell.”

Dee stood. “Whatever you say, detective Fletcher. I will let you rest, your family will be here soon.”

Just down the corridor, through a door, another room in RDU - Medical, Elsa lay, white bandages wrapped around her head, covering one eye, her hands and legs restrained.

Dee walked in and shut the door behind her. She went to Elsa’s side.

Elsa looked at her and didn’t say anything.

Dee looked into Elsa’s eyes. She took Elsa’s hand, clenched it briefly, fiercely, before letting go and walking out.

Out in the hallway, Dee leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. She had a headache, she’d been on the clock for far too long without any downtime. She needed sleep.

‘You shouldn’t have done that,’ a man said, sitting on a bench nearby. He looked vaguely familiar. ‘It’s dangerous.’

Dee was certain he hadn’t been sitting there a second ago. “Who are you?” She recognized the voice as the one that had been in her head.

The man smiled. ‘You’ll remember, soon. They thought they got rid of me, but I’m not that easy to get rid of. I’m here to keep you safe. Keep us alive.’

Dee blinked and the man was gone.

The end of this case! That was a wild ride! I know I didn’t engage with the Hypothesis mechanic at the end but it just kind of resolved in my head with the loose threads that made sense so I went with it. I like the idea of the hypothesis mechanic and I think it’s really useful, but I also think you shouldn’t beholden yourself to it if you find yourself with a great idea. It would be a bummer to go, ‘oh here’s how it all makes sense’! and then you check it, and you’re wrong, and then you have to figure out how it went wrong, possibly making the case more and more complicated (and possibly nonsensical), which maybe you want! or maybe you don’t want. Sometimes going with your gut is the best way forward when solo-roleplaying.

I loved taking these characters out again, and I loved being able to bring Dee back in the middle of it! That was not something I had planned when I started out but it just felt right after what had happened.

But playing in this world, with these characters, in this system takes quite a bit of brain power and creative thinking. I definitely need a break.

What’s coming next? Maybe some Kal Arath? Maybe some Niv Lova? No idea.

As always, sound off with your suggestions, thoughts, ideas, criticisms and whatever else in the comments.

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If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! It’s on sale until end of May along with the supplement, Zona Nole. You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

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Fletcher put in a call to HQ, let Holden know he would need access to Wallace records before catching a cab back to Diseth Genetics.

The weather turned, sky growing dark, big fat rain drops pelting the street.

Name: Elsa Machesky

Character Trait: Demanding

In an empty conference room, Fletcher sat across from Elsa Machesky, Supervisor of Special Projects at Diseth Genetics. She wore a tailored white business suit and her fingernails tapped at the table. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and her face severe.

Girbach sat beside her.

Fletcher made a minute out of looking over the file in his hands, reviewing his notes, until Elsa clucked her tongue.

“I am a very busy woman. Proceed with your questions.”

Fletcher smiled, setting down the file. “I thank you for taking your time to meet with me. What’s your role here, exactly?”

“I am in charge of the Special Projects Division of Diseth.”

“Special projects…what does that mean?”

She gritted her teeth and let out a breath. “Research and development of unique technological advancements in Animoid technology.”

“You were familiar with the project that Raschke was working on?”

“Intimately.”

“What is your view of Raschke, as an employee?”

“Dedicated, intelligent, hard-working.”

“Do you think she was involved in the theft?”

A considerable pause. “I do not know.”

Empathy + Insight: 2d10 = 9,2

Push → reroll 2 = 2

Can’t tell if she’s lying. What’s her most powerful emotion?

d6 = 6 → Sad. d6 = 1 → guilty

Fletcher couldn’t tell if she was lying, but he could read her eyes, her nervous twiddling, her anxiousness.

She felt guilty, but about what?

Empathy + Manipulation: 2d10 = 5,4 → Fail

Push: 7, 10 → Critical Success

She will admit something and Fletcher discovers something unexpected.

Cipher: “Demand” “Dream”

After a series of questions, Fletcher could tell Elsa was on the verge of breaking. Her glances, her fidgeting, her inability to answer questions directly.

“What aren’t you telling me, Elsa?” Fletcher asked, finally.

Is she a replicant? d10 = 8 → Yes.

Is she an N9? d10 = 5 → No.

Elsa’s hand moved fast.

Fletcher saw the flash of a blade.

Gorbach blocked her wrist with his own. “What the fuck?” He tried to grab her but she resisted, standing up out of his grasp.

Fletcher stood, drawing his gun. “It doesn’t have to go like this,” he said.

Gorbach rose to grab her but she dropped the knife, grabbed his wrists and tripped him to the ground, falling on top of him and pinning him there.

Fletcher’s fingers throbbed as he fired, missing and punching a hole in the wall.

Elsa threw a punch into Girbach’s face, rocking his head back.

Fletcher fired and missed again as the two struggled on the ground.

Girbach pushed against her, struggling to break free but she was too strong.

Fletcher fired and missed again. What the fuck was wrong with his aim?

Elsa wrenched and twisted Girbach’s arm until it snapped. He cried out in agony. She grabbed the 9mm from his holster, stood turned and fired at Fletcher.

A bullet slammed into his gut like a sledgehammer.

He stumbled, firing off one last shot, catching Elsa in the shoulder as she turned and ran, out the door into the hallway.

Fletcher clutched his stomach, falling to his knees, and then his side. He heard shouts in the hallway.

Combat

Initiative: Elsa goes first because of Surprise.

Stabs Girbach. Hand to Hand.

Elsa: d10 + d8 = 4,8 → One success.

Girbach: d10 + d8 = 6,1 → One success.

Elsa Pushes her d10 = 3. Pushes again = 3.

Neither side overcomes the other.

Fletcher stands and draws his gun. Tries to get her to surrender.

Does she? No. She’s a member of the resistance and knows to surrender is to die.

Initiative: Girbach, Elsa, Fletcher

Girbach tries to grapple Elsa. Elsa drops the knife and attempts to grapple back.

Girbach: 7, 4 → One success

Elsa: 10, 5 → Push d8 = 3. Push again = 4. Two Successes.

Elsa Pushes Girbach to the ground and pins him there.

Fletcher fires at Elsa. Disadvantage from broken fingers

d10 = 5, Push = 2 → Miss.

Initiative: Elsa, Fletcher, Girbach

Hand-to-Hand, Gorbach can’t defend himself.

d10 + d8 = 5, 6 → Push d10 = 4 → Push again = 3 → One success

Gorbach takes 1 dmg, drops to 4.

Fletcher fires at her. d10 = 5 → Push = 2. Miss

Gorbach struggles to break free. Opposed HtH.

d10 + d8 = 6, 8 → Two Successes

d10 + d8 = 10, 8 → Three Successes

He fails.

Initiative: Gorbach, Fletcher, Elsa

Gorbach struggles to break free.

d10 + d8 = 7,1 → One success

d10 + d8 = 4, 8 → One success

He fails.

Fletcher fires. d10 = 1. Miss

Elsa slams Gorbach on the ground.

d10 + d8 = 4, 8 → Push d10 = 9. Two successes.

2 dmg + Crit. Gorbach drops to 2 health.

Crit: d10 = 8 → Broken arm.

Initiative: Elsa, Fletcher

Elsa grabs Gorbach’s gun and stands, firing at Fletcher.

d10 = 10 → Two Successes. 9mm subcompact. 3 dmg

Crit: d8 = 5 → Bleeding gut. Lethal? Yes. Any mobility roll re-opens the wound.

Fletcher fires back. d10 = 3 → Push = 8 → One success.

dmg = 2. Elsa drops to 5/7.

She turns and runs. Mobility check to get away. Disadvantage. d10 = 10 → Two successes.

Hypothesis: Replicant Underground is involved: d6 → d8

Fletcher crawled to the wall and put his back to it, looking at his stomach.

Intelligence + Medical Aid = d10 + d6 at disadvantage

d10 = 10 → Critical Success! +1 Health.

He managed to rip part of his shirt and wrap it around his stomach, putting pressure to the wound to get it to stop bleeding. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

Fletcher lay on a bed, getting checked out by one of the RDU medical staff, when Holden walked in.

“You alright?” Holden asked, sitting on a stool nearby.

“Been better,” Fletcher grunted, wincing in pain.

“What the hell happened?”

“Interrogating staff member at Diseth. Turns out she’s a Replicant. In charge of Special Projects there.”

“Rebellion?”

Fletcher nodded.

“So they pulled the job?”

Fletcher shrugged. “Looking more and more likely. Or Elsa just had the bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The security camera in my room and the corpo assassin don’t feel like Rebellion, but Maxwell being a possible sympathizer and Elsa being directly connected to the heist is one too many coincidences…”

Holden grunted. “We need to get this sorted and soon. I brought in some help.”

“Cap, you know I don’t like working with a partner…”

“You can barely move without ripping your stitches. Besides, you know her. Get her up to speed. I want this wrapped up as quickly as possible.” He walked out.

Through the door walked Dee.

She looked…different, although Fletcher couldn’t put his finger on how. She wore a leather jacket and jeans. She approached the bed, a neutral expression on her face.

“Dee…” Fletcher said. “How are you? What did they do to you?”

Dee looked at him. “I underwent a necessary re-calibration. Good afternoon Detective Fletcher. Nice to meet you.”

Fletcher frowned. “Dee, we’ve met. We know each other. We worked three cases together.”

She took a moment, then nodded. “Yes, we did. Tell me about this case.”

Fletcher gritted his teeth, looking away. What did they do to her? With a sigh, he told her what he knew, hoping the old Dee was still there, somewhere.

She listened intently, without blinking or moving.

“We need to follow up on the Esper Machine, see if Elsa was spotted fleeing Diseth and where she might have gone. We also need to go to Wallace,” Fletcher saw Dee flinch in the slightest manner, almost undetectable, but he caught it, when he said the name Wallace. “To check out Maxwell’s DiJi records and follow up on Elsa. I’m sure someone from the Crime Lab was able to swipe some DNA from the scene. A strand of hair, at least.”

Dee nodded. “You’ve certainly made a mess of things without me,” she said.

Fletcher’s jaw dropped. That sounded like the old Dee.

Her face revealed nothing. “Would you like some coffee from the vending machine, detective Fletcher?”

He leaned back and closed his eyes, smiling. “Yeah, that would be great. And call me Eddie.”

“Dee, it’s nice to see you after your ‘re-calibration’,” Quell smiled. “How do you feel?”

Same office. Dreary white walls, not a hint of personality.

Dee gave a fake smile. “I’m fine.” She wasn’t though. Something was missing and she couldn’t even remember what it was. There was a loss, though, a void. Some memories felt…altered, changed while others were gone completely. How did you know a memory was gone if you couldn’t remember it?

She’d lost someone. Who was it?

“It’s good to be back on the job,” Dee said, handing over a couple forms. “We need DiJi records from a deceased suspect, Maxwell Jaenke. I also need to check in your records on an old replicant file.” She held up a plastic container with a strand of blond hair.

Empathy + Connections: d8 + d6 = 1,1 → Failure.

Cost: 1 Promotion point.

Failure = Twice as long → 2 shifts.

“Unfortunately, it’s going to take time to go through the proper channels. DiJi records are, I’m sure you’re aware, private between Wallace and the client. You’ll need a Warrant. Also, it will take time to sift through the data in our Replicant Records.”

Internally, Dee experienced something odd. She expected to feel anger, rage, frustration or at least annoyed but instead she felt…nothing. “Of course,” she responded. All was as it should be. The proper protocols must be followed, right? She smiled. “I’m happy to wait.”

Empathy + Connections: d10 + d8 = 7,1 → One Success

Fletcher looked at the wall of screens, all showing different streets of the city. “Let’s see if we can find you…” he muttered, bringing up cameras outside Diseth Genetics.

Int + Tech: d10 + d8 = 9,6 → Two Successes

Critical Success Table: 1 → Notice something unexpected or reveal an opportunity. If you act on this discovery, gain advantage on next skill roll in this scene.

Cipher: Discover Connection

After an hour of pouring through footage, Fletcher found Elsa running away from Diseth Genetics. “Got you,” he said to himself. For the next hour, he followed her through the city, camera to camera, until she ducked into a familiar arcade.

Level 99.

Dee’s back! But…different somehow. What’s been lost?

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If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Character: Ta-ze

Body: Pierced / Mind: Analytical / Soul: Reverent

8/10 Might // 15 wit // 8 spirit // HD: d0

Inventory: Jar of leeches, Sling, Hatchet, Gambeson, Backpack, 2 rations

Doom: 3

After putting some distance between the hamlet and themselves, Ta-Ze rested within the forest, taking some time to meditate before moving on.

Hour of rest steps up HD: d4

They decided to head north, towards Gideon’s Reach. They could use rest and recovery, and perhaps may find some clue as to the witch’s location along the way.

Travel test: Wits(15) vs d20 = 17 → Fail. Move 1 hex.

+1 Doom Dice: 4

Doom roll: 2 → dread: something is off...torches gutter out, cold rushes in, gas seeps up...growls echo in the dark

What lies ahead? 2d6 = 4 → clinging fog, dense, beguiling

Search: Wits(15) vs 17 → Fail.

+1 Doom = 1

Location: d66 = Ancient Barrow

Fog crept in, slowly at first, creeping amidst the brush and the dirt. It grew into thicker roiling bands, making it difficult for Ta-Ze to find their way, as well as bringing a moist chill that clung to the skin.

In front of them, a large mound in the land, man-made, a barrow and tomb of some ancient lord, no doubt.

Is it open? d6 = 3 → No

Ta-Ze moved away from the mound and made camp.

+1 Doom = 2

camp d6 = 3 → Suitable, enough to keep you dry and warm.

-1 ration. +HD = d6

Ta-Ze didn’t bother making a fire, consuming half the berries he’d picked, before settling down to sleep.

Ambush: Wits w/disadvantage

15 vs 2d20 = 12, 10 → Success. No ambush.

Day 3

Weather: Grim

Move Out. +1 Doom = 3

Travel: WITS: 15 vs d20 = 1 → Success. Travel 2 hexes.

What lies ahead? 2d6 = 4 → Clinging fog

Search: WITS: 15 vs d20 = 15 → Success.

I’ll take +1 clue instead of rations.

+1 Doom = 4.

Doom roll: 3 → Danger. 17 → Odd = Monster

Random encounter: d12 = 3 → Todorats roaming.

WITS to hide. 15 vs d20 = 5 → Success.

The fog would not lift, and the chill grew colder as Ta-Ze made their way north, heading towards Gideon’s Reach.

They noted disturbed dirt here and there, twigs and stones set up in little shrines of unknown importance. They recognized the patterns, the witch they hunted left these behind.

Hoofbeats upon the dirt, nearby.

They threw themselves down behind a tree, waiting and holding their breath.

The hoofbeats slowed, paused, a handful of beasts, hoofs sounding like horses but these were no horses. No breathing from the run, such as horses would make, no neighs, no human speech from riders.

An eerie calling, a keening, short bursts of inhuman shrieks, before the hoofbeats took off in another direction.

Ta-Ze let out their breath, holding a moment, making sure the creatures had truly gone, before moving on.

The palisade walls and towers broke through the fog as Ta-Ze approached the fortress, passing through the open gate under the eyes of watchful guards.

The folk walk quickly, eyes cast down while Stag Knights postured as if they owned the place.

Ta-Ze kept their head down and headed to the physikar, Dr. Einrach’s Cure-Alls.

Einrach had a small sign outside the door, living above the store.

Inside, four hounds woofed and swarmed Ta-Ze as they entered, sniffing up and down. Shelves held various bottles, vials, parchments and dried herbs or mushrooms. In the back were set up a few patient’s beds, one of which held a woman holding her stomach and groaning.

The doctor himself looked up from his desk which looked to hold parchments of notes and observations. “Down, down you dogs.” He stood, pushing his glasses up his nose. “You aren’t from the Reach, I take it.”

Ta-Ze pet the dogs until they calmed down. “No, I’m from a small village and I need your help.” Ta-Ze made their way over to the desk.

“Treatments? Are you injured? I have leeches…”

“You must find it difficult to work here, with the Knights around.”

Einrach’s lips pursed. “Indeed, but as they claim…it is…necessary…” The doctor did not sound convinced.

“They condemn us as witches, doctor, you need not hold your tongue on my account.”

“You are a physikar?” Einrach took a closer look.

“Indeed, and my village is plagued with Hexflesh. The Order surrounds it and has quarantined the lot.”

Einrach sat back down. “I am not sure how I can help. I do not have the cure for Hexflesh.”

“I know one who can help. One by the name of Ka’avi.”

Does the physikar know of Ka’avi? d6 = 3 → No.

Might he know someone who does? d6 = 4 → Yes.

“Unfortunately, I know not of whom you speak. I cannot help you…” The doctor glanced at the woman on the bed, but she was clearly unconscious. “I may know someone who might.”

Spark: Foul Witchery = 15, 15 → Beloved Healer

“Her name is Lenis, you’ll find her at the Meadhall, but be wary. Fear drives folk to suspicion and fear is everywhere in the Reach these days.”

Ta-Ze thanked the doctor and went to the meadhall, an old storehouse turned tavern and inn. Inside, the smell of cooked sausage and stale ale permeated the dingy common room.

Are there Knights within? d6 = 3 → No

A few local townsfolk were drinking and eating but no Knights.

Ta-Ze approached bar, a door behind clearly led to the kitchen.

“Name’s Ramil, you hungry or thirsty or both?” the bartender asked, wiping down a dingy spot on the counter.

Ta-Ze kept his voice low. “Looking for Lenis, is she here?”

Ramil, broad-shouldered, bald and with a scar across his cheek looked Ta-Ze up and down, leaning over the counter. “Who’s askin’ and why?” he said softly.

“My name is Ta-Ze, from a small village to the south. I’m looking for someone and she might be able to help.”

“And why would she?” Ramil asked. “We got enough troubles here without lookin’ for more.”

“Please,” Ta-Ze asked. “Many in the village are dying but I can help them. But I must find this person.”

“I can give ya a room and a meal, and time with Lenis, but it ain’t free.”

“I can perform a leeching, should you know someone who needs it.”

Does he? d6 = 4 → Yes

Ramil took a moment to think before nodding. He reached under the bar and pulled a key. “Your room. I’ll have Lenis bring your dinner up. After, I’ll call on you, understand?” Ramil gripped the bar. “Also, you treat her well. She’s well-liked by most ‘round these parts.”

Ta-Ze nodded and took the key. “I understand. Thank you.”

The room was cramped, barely more than a bed and a desk, a communal washroom down the hall.

A soft rap at the door. “Dinner?” A voice.

“Come in,” Ta-Ze said.

It opened revealing a middle-aged woman with piercing green eyes and long, brown hair, carrying a tray with a plate of sausage-filled cabbage.

Ta-Ze took it and sat on the bed, while closed the door and sat at the desk, watching while Ta-Ze ate.

“Ramil says your village is troubled,” Lenis said.

“An outbreak of Hexflesh. I can help but I must find an old friend. Her name is Ka’avi.”

Lenis’ eyes widened. “Not many would call such like her a ‘friend’, especially in a place like this.”

Ta-Ze shrugged, continuing to eat and talk between mouthfuls. “We have an unusual history. I saw her symbols to the south, but have yet to find her. Time is running out for those in my village. Can you help me?”

Lenis nodded. “I have sought her help before. Return to the symbols and head west. Look for the purple flowers.”

+1 Clue = 2 clues.

Ta-Ze nodded. “Thank you.”

Lenis leaned closer. “You’re injured.”

Ta-Ze shrugged. “A minor wound.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Ta-Ze finished his meal by the time she returned, a pouch in hand.

“Place this on your wound while you sleep,” she said, leaving it on the desk and taking the empty plate.

“Thank you, but I have nothing to pay you with.”

“That’s okay,” she said, smiling. “I know you’re helping Ramil and that’s enough. We look after each other here, as best we can in these times.”

Later, Ramil knocked and Ta-Ze opened the door, jar of leeches in hand.

Ta-Ze followed Ramil downstairs, into the back, through the kitchen and into Ramil’s own bedroom. His wife, Tara, lay on the bed, asleep but moving and moaning.

“How long has she been like this?” Ta-Ze asked, moving to the bed.

d6 = 1

“Just the past day or so, was going to call on the doctor if it kept on…” Ramil said, setting the lantern down close to the bed.

“How did it happen?” Ta-Ze leaned over the bed, feeling the woman’s forehead, brushing her hair back, opening her eyelids.

Spark: Foul Witchery → Heretical Dream

Ramil shrugged, scowling as he looked down at her. “I know not. Just…the other night, she said she had a dream. She dreamt of…dreamt of a witch, pale with red eyes, floating over the bed.” He shook his head. “I told her to forget about it, not to tell anyone…who knows what those Stags would think of that…Then she fell ill.”

“I need hot water and clean cloths,” Ta-Ze said. “This will take some time.”

Together, they undressed Tara. Ta-Ze moistened the cloths and cleaned her body, slowly, with care. Then, they took their jar of leeches, twisted the top open. Using their tweezers, just cleaned, they took leeches out, one at a time and placed them on Tara’s body, whispering something under their breath as they did so.

Ramil left the room.

It was late when Ta-Ze was finished. They carefully pulled the blanket up to cover up Tara, who appeared to be sleeping much more peacefully than before.

“Thank you,” Ramil said.

Ta-Ze nodded, took their things and went back to their room.

Once within, they applied the poultice to their shoulder and slept.

Might = 10/10

Day 4. Weather: Overcast

Does Ta-Ze leave without trouble? d6 = 6 → Yes and

d6 = Yes and…+d4 rations(4).

In the morning, Ta-Ze packed their things and headed down to the common room.

Ramil was taking down chairs to set up the tables. “Wait,” he said, heading into the back. He returned with a cloth bag, dried meat wrapped inside. He handed it to Ta-Ze.

“Here,” he said. “Thank you again.”

Ta-Ze nodded, and left Gideon’s Reach behind, heading back south.

Wits to Travel: 5/15 → 2 Hexes

Doom +1 = 1

What lies before you? 2d6 + 2 (clues) → Event

d3 = 2: Zealous → Singing Pilgrimage

Wits to Search: 20/15 → Fail.

Doom +1 = 2

Location: Fresh battlefield

Spark: Burning Zeal → Unforgiving Marshal

Ta-Ze followed the pitted road for a ways, coming across a group of monks in robes, singing as they made their way.

Ta-Ze avoided them, deciding it was as good a time as any to head into the woods. Past looming trees and scrub brush, lay corpses in a field.

Stag Knights in bloodied white stood together, man at the head had his helmet off, scowling, all facing a lone knight whose armor had been stripped from him, on his knees.

“You failed to follow my direct orders!” The leader bellowed, spitting.

Ta-Ze kept their distance, going around the commotion. The corpses he could see looked to be villagers and unarmed.

“They were just…just…” the man on his knees had his hands clasped in front of him.

“Witches! Corrupted! Bastards!” The leader drew his blade and thrust it into the kneeling man’s chest. “This is our holy duty!” He withdrew the blade and the man fell, coughing up blood and shaking.

Ta-Ze fled.

Press On.

Wits to Travel: 17/15 → Fail.

+1 Doom: 3

What lies ahead? 3+2 = 5 → Fog

Wits to Explore: 7/15 → Success. +1 Clue. 3 Clues!

Ta-Ze finds the Witch, Ka’avi.

Location: Strangleroot Patch

+1 Doom: 4

Doom Roll: 3 → Hazard. I’ll say it’s Ophdein Strangleroots!

They found the symbols carved into trees and headed west, soon finding the purple flowers that Lenis spoke of.

Then, a bit of smoke in the distance, Ka’avi’s camp, perhaps.

They rushed forward as night came on.

Wits to notice the Strangleroot patch: 15/15 → Success

Ta-Ze halted, boot held above the ground, noticing the thick, slowly moving roots all over. Another step or two, and they would’ve been snatched. Stepping back, they went around, coming to a small campfire, bubbling pot hanging over it, but nobody around.

Spark: Foul Witchery → Corrupted Survivor

Ta-Ze sat by the fire and waited.

The night grew darker and no moon sat in the sky above to give light.

“I know you,” a voice called out from the shadows of the woods, shrill, seeking.

“It is I, Ta-Ze. I have sought you out, Ka’avi. I need your help.”

A woman emerged from the darkness, black hair messy with leaves and twigs, her eyes a vibrant purple, her clothes a patchwork of animal hides. She came and sat in front of the fire, leaning forward, dropping something hidden into the pot.

In the firelight, Ta-Ze could see the dark, corrupted skin of her flesh.

“I know what you seek,” she said. “I know your village suffers.”

“Hexflesh plagues them, the Order has all but sentenced everyone to death. I need you to help me. You’re the only one I know who can give me what I need.”

“I need something from you, first, Ta-Ze.”

Spark: Foul Witchery → Dangerous Haint

“There is a haint not far from here. It must be put to rest. Help with this, and I shall help you.”

“Very well.”

“We go in the morning.”

Camp. Consume ration.

Character: Ka’avi

Burned, Analytical, Lost

Herbalist, Sage Stick

Your family could not send you to the pyre, so they exiled you instead.

11 Might, 11 Wit, 12 Spirit

HD: d8

Sling, Hatchet

Day 5

Location: Logger’s Camp

Weather: Poor.

A dull heavy rain slowed them down as they trudged northward, to an abandoned logger’s camp, trees cut down around the camp site.

“I must draw it here,” Ka’avi said.

Hex: Fresh Flower

Spirit -1. Ka’avi spirit: 11/12

She reached down to the bare earth, placing her fingers upon it and speaking in a language unknown to Ta-Ze, though it made their blood chill upon hearing it.

A hoary wind rose, blowing around them.

A fleshy, pungent blossom burst from the dirt as Ka’avi stood.

The wind howled louder.

Wit Test: 18/15 → Fail.

The Haint ambushes the group.

Moves to Ka’avi.

The howling became a scream, a form billowing out of the pouring rain, reaching for Ka’avi.

Ranged attack: Ta-Ze hurls a stone.

d4 = 3 - 1ar = 2 dmg. Haint Might: 4/6

Hand to hand. Ka’avi’s hatchet vs Haint’s leech soul

d4! vs d8>d8 = 1 vs 4,4. Ka’avi takes 3 spirit dmg. 8/12

The form took human shape, gray and black.

Ta-Ze’s bullet struck it and it howled.

Ka’avi swung her hatchet but missed.

It’s claws ripped across her shoulder but no blood came out, though she shrieked in pain.

Ranged Attack: 3 → 2 more dmg. 2/6 Might

Hand to Hand. 1 vs 6 = 5 spirit damage. Roll HD

d8 = 3. Ka’avi takes 2 spirit damage. 6/12

Another stone struck home, ripping into the thing’s skull, but still it pressed against Ka’avi, claws reaching deep into her skull. She screamed in agony, thrusting the hand away, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Ka’avi!” Ta-Ze yelled.

Move: Ta-Ze charges, dropping the sling and bringing up the hatchet.

Hand to Hand: d4, d4 = 2, 1.

Haint: d8 = 8. Ka’avi takes 6 spirit damage. Roll HD

d6 = 1. Ka’avi takes 5 spirit damage. 1/12.

Ta-Ze swung wildly but the hatchet passes through air as the haint moves, both sets of claws sinking into Ka’avi’s skull. She swung wildly without hitting anything.

Hand to hand combat.

Ka’avi: d4 = 1. Ta-Ze: d4 = 4 + d4 = 4 = 8.

Haint: d8 = 6. Takes 2 dmg. Might: 0/8

Ta-Ze took one last swing at the haint’s head and felt the axe connect solidly.

The form collapsed in a heap of disintegrated bone and flesh and ash, scattering at their feet.

Ka’avi staggered and fell into a puddle, hands to her head.

The rain continued to fall.

That night, at her camp, Ka’avi handed Ta-Ze a large pouch, an unknown mixture within.

“This is what you need,” Ka’avi said.

“Are you alright?” Ta-Ze asked, taking the pouch. Within was a mixture of black seeds.

“I need rest, that is all.”

Camp: Sodden, can’t step up HD

+1 Doom: 1

Test Wit 15, 4 → Succeed. (I did it twice because I forgot to test the previous night. No ambushes.

Day 6

Weather: Grim

Wits to Travel: 10 → Success. 2 hexes

+1 Doom: 2

What lies ahead? 2d6 = Event, d3 = Witchy

d6 = 4 → Gleeful torturing

The next morning, Ka’avi was already gone.

Ta-Ze packed their things and left, heading back towards their village.

They heard the screams before they saw it.

A man hanging from a tree, three hags facing him, eyes wild, sneering grins on their faces. He screamed as they pressed wicked instruments against his flesh.

Test Wits to avoid/go unnoticed: 11/15 → Success.

Doom +1 = 3

Ta-Ze gave them a wide berth, making sure to not catch their attention, and kept moving.

Press on.

Wits to Travel: 10/15 → Success. Reach village

Doom +1 = 4

What lies ahead? 2d6 Event. d3 = zealous

d6 = fiery preaching

Doom roll: 0 → A clue, a useful item or something helpful

A large white tent staked out in a field, a crowd gathered. A booming voice posturing within.

Wandering around the edges, Ta-Ze found a thick loop of rope, left over from what had been used to tie the tent posts no doubt. With the attention all focused on the furious speech within, Ta-Ze lifted the rope and kept on their way.

They reached the edge of the village by nightfall.

Spark: Burning Zeal → Savage Marshal

Wits to sneak back in. Disadvantage: 2d20 vs 15 = 15/15 → Success

The tents still surrounded the town, although there seemed to be more.

Ta-Ze crept through the encampment as before, but, passing a larger tent, they heard loud voices within.

“I’ll not wait any longer, those corrupted within will be burned at the stake in the morning!”

“What of those unaffected, Lord Marshal?”

“We cannot say for sure whether they are contaminated or not. The impurity of their community allowed this plague in the first place. They all burn.”

Ta-Ze hurried, entering the village and heading to the inn.

Within was a sore sight, more victims, and those already afflicted worse off than before. Fewer helping, and everyone looking gaunt, sickly and weak.

Ta-Ze’s arrival was met with weary surprise but little hope.

“I must use your kitchen to prepare the cure,” Ta-Ze spoke to the innkeeper. “Give me an hour or two.”

They worked throughout the night, using the seeds provided by Ka’avi to create a concoction that was used to spread over the Hexflesh of the afflicted.

Time passed and those ill began to improve, the corrupted, hardened skin falling away to reveal fresh human skin beneath.

The sun rose. “Go,” Ta-Ze said to the innkeeper. “Tell the knights that the plague is over, the curse lifted, the afflicted healed. Quickly, before it is too late.”

She ran outside.

Ta-Ze wondered if it was already too late.

An end to my Wenderweald foray, at least for now. Check out Wenderweald yourself, Follow for awesome art and ttrpg musings. I can’t wait for the Advanced Rules which I feel will give and others a little more lore, factions, events, monsters, and other goodies flesh out the Wenderweald even more! Let me know what you thought or any questions you had in the comments.

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Now I’ll get back to my regularly scheduled programming, which is Bladerunner.

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If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

I had to try ’s “The Wenderweald Basic Rules” as soon as they were released. Find them here for free!

Character: Ta-ze

Body: Pierced / Mind: Analytical / Soul: Reverent

Ta-Ze is weathered, skin tanned, body whip-lean and strong. They have piercings all over and wear a variety of earrings, nose rings, lip rings, eyebrow rings, etc. that they change daily. Some in the village whisper the rings are charms and amulets or Witchery, and the way they are worn provide different benefits, but none dare ask.

Profession: Physikar / Items: jar of leeches, 12 silver

The Order condemned Ta-Ze’s village after an outbreak of Hexflesh. Ta-Ze knows a cure. A witch owes them a favor. But the Order is watching. Ta-Ze keeps a Witch’s secret so long as they help and continue to stay silent.

10 Might / 15 wit / 8 spirit / HD: d6

The crash of a bookshelf. The shattering of a chair. The screams of accusations.

These were not new.

This was the third such ‘investigation’ by The Order.

Two knights ransacked the hut Ta-Ze called home. They smashed vials on the floor, torched books and scrolls, scattered ingredients and stole anything of value they could find.

A few more moments before they left.

Ta-Ze waited until they were sure the knights were gone, then quickly pulled up a loose floorboard, revealing all they had left. A jar of leeches and twelve silver. They scooped them up and placed the floorboard back.

They left the ramshackle hut, moon high in the sky. The village, little more than a scattering of a dozen or so buildings, lay quiet in the night, a few Knights carrying torches patrolling, the rest camped out around the village in white tents, campfires roaring.

Ta-Ze slipped to the building next door, the largest in the village, the only ‘inn’ of sorts. Inside, it had been turned into a makeshift infirmary, patients lying on tables and the floor, their flesh corrupted, stiff to the touch, moaning in pain and agony, a few townsfolk giving them water and seeing to their needs.

“Ta-Ze,” the innkeeper approached, a hale, middle-aged woman, her voice hushed. She gulped as she got closer, glancing down at the floor. “The condition of those infected remain the same.”

Most townsfolk didn’t like Ta-Ze, but they had healed a fair few of them. Still, Ta-Ze kept to themselves and didn’t socialize.

“To aid, I must leave the village. I need things. A sling, a hatchet, a gambeson, and a backpack.” He puts the pouch of silver into her hands. “I need them now.”

Sling: 2s, Hatchet, 2s. Gambeson, 5s. Backpack (I’ll say it cost the last of my silver, 3s.)

She nodded. “Okay, but…you know they aren’t letting anyone leave…”

Ta-Ze did not respond, but merely looked back at her until she gulped, nodded once more, and hurried off, speaking with other townsfolk.

As they waited, Ta-Ze went to each of the victims, briefly touching the hardened, crusty exterior of the Hexflesh, whispering something that nobody else heard.

After twenty minutes or so, the innkeeper brought him a pack. “Here,” she said, handing it over.

They slipped it on.

“Good luck,” she said.

Ta-Ze didn’t respond, walking out of the inn and into the night.

Slip out of the village without getting caught

d20 vs wits = 14 <= 15 → success

Taking their time, Ta-Ze moved through the encampment surrounding the village, sticking to the shadows, most Knights asleep in their tents, others sitting around the embers of the campfires.

In the rising light of dusk, Ta-Ze left the village behind.

Where is Ta-Ze’s village located? d4 = 3 → South

What direction does the Witch lie? d4 = 4 → West.

Weather: d6 = 4 → Overcast, dry and grim…for now

Wits test: d20 = 10 vs 15(wits) → Success. Travel 2 hexes.

+1 Doom die = 1.

What lies ahead? 2d6 = 9 → Witchery: sickening flora, charms

Search

+1 Doom Die = 2.

Test wits: 11 vs 15 → Success

1d4 = 2 rations.

Landmark: d66 = 51 → Cloistered hamlet

Heading west, the land grew increasingly warped, trees that bled from knotholes, flower blossoms of eyes that looked all too human, putrid-colored moss rippling over the ground, all good signs Ta-Ze was heading in the right direction.

Amidst the corrupted greenery, they found a patch of wildberries, seemingly untouched, and harvested as many as they could.

Continuing on, through a copse of trees, they witness a small settlement, surrounded by a wooden fence, six foot high, poles sharpened at the top. The spire of a church could be seen within, clearly the tallest building in the village.

They approached the gate cautiously.

One man stood on a platform behind the fence overlooking the gate. “Halt!” the man calls out. “Who goes there?”

“My name is Ta-Ze. I am a traveler, simply passing through.”

“Be you of the Faith?” The man called out.

“Yes of course,” Ta-Ze replied. “I am a believer.”

“Then you may enter.”

Within the walls lay a hamlet smaller even than Ta-Ze’s own village. The hamlet folk wore hoods and robes, whispered prayers constantly, and gave suspicious glares toward Ta-Ze’s bizarre appearance.

Spark Table: Burning Zeal. 2d20 = 6, 12 → “Forgotten” “Chaplain”

In the center of the hamlet, a man was impaled to a cross, his eyes closed, although still alive, blood dried upon the wood.

“Our chaplain forgot his place,” an old woman spat on the ground by Ta-Ze’s feet. “He let the Witch in. You can see it all around us, but with our Faith, we resist it. We cast it out.”

Ta-Ze could see the burning ferocity in the woman’s eyes as she stared at the dying man upon the cross. “I see,” he replied.

She glowered at Ta-Ze. “You do not look like one of the Faith.”

“I am no Witch,” Ta-Ze said, returning her glare without emotion.

She spat again and walked away.

“We’re a suspicious lot, especially after…what happened,” a man said, approaching. He wore chaplain’s robes. “But as long as you are no Witch, you are welcome to rest and respite.” He smiled, showing too much teeth. “I hope you forgive the more…aggressive of our flock.”

“How about that rest and respite? I must be on my way in the morning."

“Yes, yes, of course. Come to the church, it’s where we take our meals together, and there are spare cots in the basement. My name is father Hanvo.”

Dinner was a communal meal consisting of hard, stale bread and a thin stew that was almost all broth, followed by father Hanvo giving sermon on the corrupting influences of Witchery, the steadfastness of the Faith, the unwavering spirit of the community as a bastion of light in the darkness of Witchery all around them, and more.

Ta-Ze tuned it out after a point.

A slowly dying commune of religious fanatics spiraling as the lands outside become more and more corrupted by Witchery…

Ta-Ze would not stick around to see it collapse.

Consume food. HD → d8.

Day 2. Weather: Grey. Move +1 Hex.

Does anyone try to stop Ta-Ze from leaving? d6 = 5 → Yes.

Ta-Ze woke early in the basement of the church, a few others without their own homes slept in other cots around the room.

In the pitch darkness, Ta-Ze made their way to the stairs and up, into the empty main chamber. Outside, he headed for the gate, the gray dawn just barely arrived.

Another man stood at the gate and, turning notice Ta-Ze approaching.

The guard dropped from the platform and stood in front of the gate, hand on the club swinging at his hip. “You can’t leave ‘til the father says so.”

“You are holding me prisoner? What crime have I committed?” Ta-Ze asked.

“Them’s the rules,” the guard said. “After…after what happened, we can’t be too careful.”

Ta-Ze knew what went unspoken. ‘We can’t let a Witch leave if that what you be.’

“My friend!” Father Hanvo came hurrying along. “I must apologize, I did not realize you were up already. I must have a word before you leave.”

A few villagers were coming out of their homes and watching.

Ta-Ze let one hand rest by the sling at his waist, the other in a pocket, holding a stone. “Why do you hold hostage innocent travelers, father?”

“You must understand, we must…be careful.”

“I have offered no harm or offense. Let me leave.”

Hanvo gulped, glanced at the growing number of villagers. “We just…we have to be certain, first.”

“Certain of what?” Ta-Ze asked, although they already knew.

“That you are not a Witch, of course. If you are and we let you leave…” he shook his head. “We would be punished, severely, as we have before.”

“I am no Witch.” Ta-Ze said. “A Witch would burn before entering so holy a place as your church, would they not?” They asked, looking around at the villagers. “I ate of your food. I partook of your hospitality. A Witch would not do so.”

Some looked convinced, others did not.

Hanvo bit his lip, then shook his head. “We must be certain. Please, all you must do is prove yourself and then you can leave.”

“And how does one prove they are not a Witch?”

“First, we search your body for Marks. Finding none, we then perform the Pricking tests. Should you pass those, you will be allowed to leave. Simple and easy.” Hanvo smiled, showing too many teeth once more.

Ta-Ze pulled a stone from his pocket, put it in his sling and swung it around his head. “Nobody is touching me,” they said.

“Witch!” the old woman from the day before called out, pointing.

The guard by the gate drew his club. A few of the villagers held makeshift weapons. Some looked ready to fight, others uncertain. Most looked to father Hanvo.

“Please, this is unnecessary-”

“Tell everyone to stand down,” Ta-Ze said. “No blood needs to be shed this day.”

Does father Hanvo listen? 2 = No.

“It didn’t have to be like this,” Hanvo said sadly.

Test wit: 15 vs 15 → Success.

Ambush: Next attack counts as Brutal.

The guard took a step closer.

Ta-Ze let the stone fly.

Range: near

d4 = 1, 4, SAVAGE, d4 = 1. 5 dmg.

The guard has a gambeson. Takes 4 dmg.

The stone struck the guard upside the head knocking him back a step.

Ta-Ze ran to the gate.

Surprised by the sudden violence, the townsfolk hesitate to move.

“Kill the Witch!” The old woman shrieked.

The guard charged after Ta-Ze.

Hand to hand. d4 > d4 vs d4 = 4 vs 1. 3 dmg, reduced by 1 armor. 2 dmg, Might drops to 8.

A swing of the guard’s sword cut into Ta-Ze’s arm.

A handful of the villagers strove forward, their bloodlust engaged.

Wits test to flee: 16 vs 15 → Fail.

Ta-Ze couldn’t get the gate open with the guard in their face, they grabbed their hatchet and swung at the Guard.

hand to hand: d4 vs d8 = 1 vs 6. 5 - 1 = 4 dmg.

Use HD: d8 = 8 → Block all dmg. HD drops to d6.

The villagers press in on all sides, howling for blood, three of them getting in close.

Wits to flee: d20 = 18 vs 15 → Failure

Hatchet vs Sword, Knife, Sickle, Club: d4 vs d8, d4, d4, d4>d4

2 vs 7 = 5 dmg - 1 = 4. Roll HD: d6 = 6! No dmg taken. HD dropped to d4.

Swinging in a frenzy, Ta-Ze pushed the villagers back.

Wits to flee: d20 = 18 → Failure

3 vs 4 → 1 dmg, blocked by Gambeson.

The blows came from all sides, Ta-Ze doing their best to fend off the attacks, but getting battered all the same.

Wits to flee: d20 = 6 → Success!

Ta-Ze shifted a shoulder under the post blocking the gate and shoved it up and out, kicking the gate open behind them. They gave one last wild swing, backing the others off, before taking off at a dead sprint into the woods.

The villagers were slow to follow, their steps faltering, their eyes widening at the open gate and the diseased forest beyond.

Ta-Ze staggered away from the hamlet, gasping for breath, surprised they were still alive.

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! It’s on sale until end of May along with the supplement, Zona Nole. You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Fletcher woke from his nightmare in a cold sweat. He brushed his teeth and took a brisk shower.

As he threw on his trenchcoat, he stretched his neck and looked up, right at the fan in the center of the ceiling and something caught his eye. A small black shape behind the fan blades. He grabbed the office chair from the desk, set it on the floor and stood on it. He reached up, grabbed the hard black shape and pulled it down.

It was a small surveillance camera.

Fletcher grabbed a styrofoam cup of vending machine coffee before heading to the Crime Lab. A technician named Bianca with curly brown hair and tin glasses gave him the rundown of Maxwell Jaenke’s autopsy.

“Gunshot to the chest and head. Dead before he hit the ground. Nothing else of note.”

Fletcher nodded. “Figured as much. What can you tell me about this?” He handed over the surveillance camera.

Bianca took a look at it. “Hmmm, definitely not one of ours. High-tech. Fancy. Expensive. Where did you find it?”

“My hotel room. Can you find out exactly who makes it?”

She nodded. “I can try, give me a few hours.”

“Thanks,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee as he left.

Was Diseth spying on him?

He headed to the Animal Services and Control division.

“Hames, how are ya?” Fletcher asked, patting the grizzled old-timer on the back, as he sat behind a desk, his loyal animoid wolf-hound next to him.

“Do I hear an Echo?” Hames grunted. “What the hell do you want?”

Fletcher pulled a chair up. “Diseth Genetics. What do you know about them?” He reached out to pet Hames’ wolf but it growled.

“You know better than to pet Hanson without askin’” Hames said, leaning back in his chair. “Diseth is top-notch when it comes to animoid tech. Expensive. Bleeding-edge stuff. Sell their cheap old stuff to the animoid shops, keep their good stuff for wealthy clients.”

Fletcher stuck a thumb at Hanson. “He Diseth?”

Hames chuckled. “Nah, LAPD can’t afford their shit.”

“What makes them so good?”

“Intelligence. Their animoids are smart as hell, and they keep getting smarter.”

“Who are their competitors?”

“Wildner Biotech is the main one, Askvig Biowares is smaller, foreign. Why you askin’?”

Fletcher shrugged. “Diseth got hit, some prototype stolen.”

“You figure corporate espionage? Rival hit?”

“Who else?” Fletcher stood and held out a hand. “Thanks, Hames.”

Hames shook it. “Good luck.”

Lastly Fletcher headed for the Esper Wall. Time to see if the crew that pulled the heist were caught on camera somewhere.

“Hey Clare, I need time on the Wall.”

Empathy + Connections: d10 + d8= 8,4 → Success

Intelligence + Tech: d10 + d8 = 4,2 → Failure

Fletcher spent a couple hours cycling through footage but he couldn’t spot any sign of the crew that pulled the heist. They were too smart to be caught on camera.

“Dead end after dead end…” he muttered to himself. He left the LAPD, walking out onto the street over to a pay phone and making a call.

Empathy + Connections: d10 + d8 = 3,4 → Failure

“We need to talk.”

“We don’t have anything to talk about,” the voice on the other end spoke.

“Come on, you know I keep the heat off you guys whenever I can. I just need to know about something.”

“No can do, Echo, not this time.” The line disconnected.

“Damnit,” Fletcher slammed the phone down before heading back into the LAPD, taking the elevator to the docking bay and getting into his spinner. From there, he called Girbach.

“Detective,” Girbach responded.

“I need to speak with Raschke.”

Silence. “We’ve already interviewed Raschke, I’m sure-”

“I need to talk to her. Her workstation was infiltrated, her prototype was stolen, I need to interview her.”

“You understand her work is highly confidential. We cannot allow-”

“I’m trying to do my job, just like you, alright? Let me do talk to her.”

Empathy + Manipulation: 2d10 = 4,9 → Success

“Fine, you can interview her here.”

“How are you doing?” Fletcher asked, sitting in a conference room, looking across the table at Raschke, a tall woman in glasses. She sat up straight, hands resting on the table.

“I’m tired,” she said. “I’d like to get back to work.”

“They aren’t letting you work?”

“Not while the investigation is ongoing.”

“Tell me about your work.”

Her eyes flickered to the door, where Girbach stood, listening. “It’s classified,” she said.

“I’m trying to find who did this and get it back for you and your company. I need to know a little more about it.”

Cypher - Focus: Fear

She looked at Girbach, who gave a small nod, then turned back to Fletcher. “I was working on emotions.”

“Emotions for animoids?” Fletcher asked. “Why do pets need feelings?”

Raschke’s lip curled. “To establish a connection with an owner, they need to be able to feel. Fear and attraction. Basic animal instincts depend on it.”

“How do you fake the emotion? How do you program emotion into something?”

She leaned back, crossing her arms. “It’s an incredibly technical, and classified, process.”

“Is this why Diseth’s Animoids are so good? Because they can fake feelings better than anyone else?”

“It’s part of the reason why Diseth is so successful, yes.”

Fletcher looked down at his notes. ”Tell me more about this prototype. What’s so special about it?”

“That’s classified.”

“Fine, fine. Who else knew what you were working on?”

She shrugged. “In regards to this project, specifically? Not many. My supervisor. I don’t know who else.”

What’s her mood? Is she lying?

Empathy + Insight: 2d10 = 5,3 → Fail.

Push: 2d10 = 10,2 → Two Successes.

Mood: 1d8 = Disgust

Is she lying? d10 = 3 → No.

She clearly detested being here, but Fletcher wasn’t sure why. He was sure she wasn’t lying, though.

“How long have you been dating Maxwell Jaenke?”

It was a shot in the dark but he took it.

“Excuse me? That jackass? No, I am not seeing or dating him, or have ever done so.”

“Are you seeing anyone else?”

“What does this have to do with anything?”

“Just answer the question.”

“No,” she said, gritting her teeth.

“Have you told anybody about your research, outside of those who would already know?”

“No.”

“Alright, thank you, Ms Raschke, we’re done here. You may leave.” Fletcher flipped his journal closed.

She stood and walked out, trembling in what he was sure was anger.

Girbach stepped over closer. “I told you we interviewed her already.”

Fletcher stood. “The crew knew exactly where to go and what to take. They didn’t waste time anywhere else. Someone told them and it wasn’t Maxwell. I need to speak with her supervisor.”

Girbach crossed his arms. “That can be arranged, but not immediately.”

“First thing in the morning?”

Girbach nodded. “Very well.”

Fletcher flew over the city in his Detective Spinner, heading toward’s Maxwell Jaenke’s last known address, when warnings flared up on the screen, indicating he’d just been targeted.

“What the fuck?” he asked, taking manual control.

Missile incoming.

Flares and chaff fired out from the Detective Spinner automatically.

Agility + Firearms w/disadvantage: 1d10 = 2 → Failure

The missile struck the chaff and exploded behind Fletcher.

“Fuck fuck fuck,” he muttered, dropping the Spinner down closer to the street, trying to get out of sight.

Maneuverability + Drive: d10 + d8 = 7,5 → Success.

He lost the attacker, as best he could tell, and parked on the top floor of a parking garage. He checked out the Esper Footage from the cameras that provide views from all around the Spinner. Best he could see was a jet black spinner, firing from a decent range away. Corp. Had to be.

He sent a message to Holden about the situation, left the Spinner where it was and took a cab the rest of the way to Maxwell’s.

“Risking my life for a goddamn robot cat or some shit…” he muttered.

This case was just getting better and better.

Hypothesis: Rival Corp d6 → d8

Maxwell’s apartment was nicely furnished, about as expected for a well-to-do salesman at a big corporation.

Fletcher took his time looking around.

Evidence Type: Device

Descriptor: Residual, it is a trace of something left behind

Meaning: Mysterious but intriguing

Cipher: “Control” “Life”

Fletcher found little of importance except for a DiJi console sitting on the counter.

Int. + Tech: d10 + d8 = 8,5 → Success.

He managed to get it open and activated. Through the console, he was able to find out that Maxwell had an emanator, although it hadn’t been found at his safe house. He also figured out that Maxwell had never broken the connection at the console, which meant all the data from the console and the emanator is accessible, although not from the console.

All that data belonged to Wallace.

Had to end it quickly in order to get this out before I go on a week-long road trip!

Hope you enjoyed!

I appreciate all those who continue to subscribe and read my stuff.

As always, sound off with your suggestions, thoughts, ideas, criticisms and whatever else in the comments.

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! It’s on sale until end of May along with the supplement, Zona Nole. You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Fletcher’s head thudded with a dull pain matched the feeling in his fingers, leftover from injuries taken in the last case.

A drizzle came down, matching Fletcher’s mood, neon drips running down the windows of his spinner as he flew through the city.

Diseth Genetics. A rather nondescript skyscraper located in Sector 4, the Industrial District.

He set down on a landing pad on the roof, a man standing by wearing a black suit approached to greet him as he stepped out.

NPC Trait: d6 + d12 → Suspicious

“Holbrook Girbach, Head of Security,” the man introduced himself, eyes narrowed. He didn’t offer a hand to shake.

“Detective Fletcher.”

“Follow me.” Girbach headed for the elevator, punched a button for the doors to open. Once they got out of the rain, he pressed a button for a lower floor.

“How’d they get in?”

Cipher: d6, d12 + d6, d12 = Betray, Vice

NPC: Sphere → Entertainment, Ideology, Commerce

Girbach grunted. “One of our salesman, Maxwell Jaenke, has been missing since the night of the incident. We believe he was involved. He frequents Happy Jack’s Casino.”

Girbach led him past cubicles with workers sitting at computers and a laboratory with glass walls, men and women within in lab coats working on half-finished robotic versions of animals.

Finally, they came another laboratory space, glass walls covered by plastic, hazard tape across the door, key pad busted open.

“They busted the key pad and rewired it to open the door,” Girbach said, ducking under the hazard tape.

Fletcher ducked, following.

It was a small space, a single workspace, computer terminal, workbench, some kind of mechanical machine for detailed work.

“Who has access? What were they working on?” Fletcher asked, taking a look around.

Girbach crossed his arms. “This is Principal Scientist Raschke’s personal work station. She had been working on a new prototype animoid.”

“Which is what they took. How many?”

“It was a crew of (d6 = 4) four. They took out most of the cameras but we were able to capture a few static images.”

Clue type: Jewelry

Evidence Descriptor: d6, d10 = Obvious

Meaning: d8 → Connects to a known location

“They were quick and clean but they left something behind,” Girbach pointed under the work station, white tape outlining an object.

Fletcher slipped on plastic gloves, knelt down and picked the object up. It was a black ring, cheap, ‘level 99’ etched in neon. He slipped it into a plastic zip-bag and slid it into an inner pocket in his trench coat.

A brief interview with Rashke provided little information other than the fact she likely wasn’t involved and the images of the culprits were little more than fuzzy figures, so Fletcher moved on, but not before putting out an APB on Maxwell Jaenke.

Empathy (d10) + Connections (d6) = 7,4 → One Success

A cacophony of noises assaulted Fletcher as he moved through the arcade. Ringing and dinging. Gunshots from shooting games, physical thuds from fighting games, engines revving from racing games, as adults and kids played across the thousands of gaming set-ups, not to mention a consistent thudding electronic music playing in the background. Holograms depicted hyper-violent combat scenarios from the latest war-sim, gigantic screens on the walls blasting colors and lights, and Fletcher had a headache after the first five minutes.

He headed toward one of the bars and caught the attention of the bartender, a woman wearing a neon green tank-top that matched her spiked mohawk wearing black-tinted sunglasses.

“This don’t seem your scene man,” she said, speaking loud enough to be heard over the noise.

“You don’t say,” he said back, before pulling out the ring and showing it to her. “Where would one get this?”

“From one of those,” She said, pointing to a claw machine against the wall. “There’s a dozen or so scattered around, those rings are one of the prizes.”

“Thanks,” he said pocketing the ring. “Can you let Ms. Rhyne a member of the RDU wants to speak with her?” He flashed his badge. “And I’ll take a whiskey, too.”

The bartender hesitated for a moment, before pouring a glass and sliding it to him. She went to a phone on the back bar.

By the time Fletcher finished his drink, a large man in a suit approached. “Ms. Rhyne will see you now.”

Fletcher left cash for the drink and tip before following the man through a back door, down a corridor and into a lounge, couches around a coffee table and Carla Rhyne sitting on one of the couches.

Trait: Evasive

She wore a neon green dress, long black hair, neon green eyes, long neon blue nails. She leaned back. “Hello again, detective Fletcher. Please elaborate on how I can assist the “R” “D” “U” this time.” She smiled. “You of all people know I assist the authorities whenever I can.”

Fletcher sat down. “How are you doing, Carla? It’s been awhile.”

“I’m just fine, detective, but I doubt you came to pay me a social call.”

Fletcher nodded. “Break-in at Diseth Genetics. I know you’re involved.”

She chuckled and gestured to the bodyguard. “Bring me champagne. Do you want anything detective? Another whiskey?”

“Tell me what you know, Carla, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

She gestured and the bodyguard left. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, detective.”

Fletcher pulled the ring out and placed it on the coffee table. “This was left at the scene.”

Was there a flicker of confusion, surprise, something?

“A ‘level 99’ ring? You know how many patrons have a dozen of those? We basically hand them out.”

“Someone left it, deliberately. They wanted it found.”

Insight: 2d10 = 5,1 → Failure

Push: 2d10 = 4,6 → One success. One stress.

She shrugged. “What if they did?”

He couldn’t read her, he was getting nothing. “They wanted to point us at you. Someone wants you to go down for this.”

The bodyguard returned with a glass of champagne and handed it to Carla. “Thank you hun,” she said, taking a sip. “Unless you have more questions, detective, I think we’re done here.”

Fletcher took the ring and followed the bodyguard back out into the arcade.

When he got to his spinner, he noted a message left by Holden to call him.

“Yeah?”

“That APB you put out? Got a hit. Maxwell Jaenke. He’s dead.”

Through the smog to the flashing lights parked outside the apartment building, past the officers, flash of a badge, heading in the front door, up the stairs.

Third door on the left, busted open, police tape across it, more officers inside.

Fletcher ducked inside, taking a look at the scene.

Bare-bones decor, cheap little place, rickety, a ‘safe house’ Max was using to lay low.

Body in the bedroom, hadn’t yet been taken.

Fletcher spoke to the responding officer.

Neighbors heard a loud noise, followed by gunshots, called the cops. Officer responded, found the door busted open, Maxwell dead on the floor of the bedroom, shot.

Officers were still speaking with neighbors to get statements.

Intelligence + Observation: 2d10 = 2,2 → Fail. Push

2d10 = 6,3 → Success

Evidence Type: d6+d12 = Weapon

Evidence Descriptor: Missing → It should be there but it’s not

Fletcher studied the busted door.

Something or someone heavy must have come through it, busted the lock.

Bullet holes around the doorway.

Looked like Maxwell tried to defend himself but no gun found in the apartment.

Had he been shot? d6 = 5 → Yes.

Pool of dried blood in the bedroom, his body already taken away.

Anything else of note?

Intelligence + Observation: 2d10 = 5,7 → One Success

Clue Type: Book/Magazine

Descriptor: Contradictory

Meaning: Connects to Unknown or Mysterious Person

Fletcher noted the bedroom trash bin was full and dumped out empty take-out containers, revealing a book underneath. It was dog-eared and ragged, the title “Otchayanie” revealing little to Fletcher, although the author piqued Fletcher’s interest. Vladimir Nabokov was a Russian and American novelist from a long time ago, and Fletcher knew his works were read and spread by replicant rebels and their sympathizers.

Could Maxwell be a replicant sympathizer? Not just a gambling addict paying off his debt through betraying his corporation?

What would the rebellion want with animoid tech?

Fletcher’s theory so far involved a rival Corp hiring Rhyne as a fixer to get a crew to pull the heist and steal the tech. Either Rhyne or the crew found out about Maxwell’s gambling debt and used it as leverage to get him to let the crew in. Then the crew or Rhyne had killed Maxwell off because he was a loose end.

Perhaps that was still true and Maxwell was just interested in ancient Russian literature, or if he did have a tie to the rebellion, that fact had nothing to do with the heist.

He thumbed through the book. It had clearly been read through many times. On the interior of the back cover, a message scrawled in pen, “I found this really insightful, maybe you will too, V.”

Fletcher left the apartment with more questions than answers, going home to catch a few hours sleep.

Fletcher dreamed of Dee. He saw her in a crowd, went after her. Just as he was about to reach her, she started running.

He called after her, chasing her.

She darted down an alley.

He followed, running as fast as he could.

She came to a dead end and stopped, facing away from him.

He slowed as he caught up to her, gasping for breath.

She turned, no recognition on her face.

“Dee, what-”

Her fingers clamped around his neck, lifted him up in the air.

He choked for breath, hands grasping at her arm, solid as iron.

Her eyes, emotionless, as her grip closed and everything went black.

End of part 2! The mystery deepens. I totally forgot about the “hypothesis” mechanic from the solo rules but I think it’s great. You basically start with a hypothesis after the first scene, and then decide if it becomes more likely or not on successive scenes, upgrading or downgrading the die, or starting a new hypothesis. At a dramatically appropriate moment, you roll the die for the hypothesis to see if it’s true or not. It’s an elegant system similar to other mystery-based solo mechanics I’ve seen but fitting with the mechanics already in the BR-RPG.

I did get stuck when the clue tables brought up a book/magazine that was described as “contradictory”. It took me a few days to think of something but now I’m glad I took that time instead of just re-rolling and trying something different. I like the new mystery it adds. Just shows that sometimes when you get stuck, just give yourself some time away to consider the possibilities.

I appreciate all those who continue to subscribe and read my stuff. I’m close to 1000 subscribers which is truly humbling.

As always, sound off with your suggestions, thoughts, ideas, criticisms and whatever else in the comments.

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! It’s on sale until end of May along with the supplement, Zona Nole. You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Stray creative thought: Mad Max Kal Arath Hack.

I’ve enjoyed playing Dolmenwood solo, exploring the hexes, interacting with the interesting npcs, delving into the Fairy, but I think my time here is at an end.

The hex-crawl itself is impressive, the sheer detail and imagination is something to behold. It provides a GM a lush landscape, but for me, it just felt too random, going from place to place, looking at hexes and rumors to try to figure out where next to go. I’m sure that’s my own issue. I could have

But my goal was to show that you can engage with a pre-made hex-crawl as a solo player, and I believe I achieved that. It definitely takes some tinkering and creative thinking, you have to be able to separate player knowledge from character knowledge, and be okay with spoiling hex information for yourself.

It totally works and I think could be fun for the right type of player or perhaps with the right tools or the right hex-crawl. I’ll admit Dolmenwood’s setting is not fully my vibe. It’s a bit too whimsy and magical, which I just don’t have as much fun with, which is another reason I just don’t feel like continuing to stick with it.

I know some of you were very interested in reading along and I thank you, I just found myself forcing it and that’s when I know it’s time to move on.

What’s Next?

Back to Blade Runner! I want to return to Fletcher’s solo case, using the new(ish) solo tools. I have most of the second part/chapter finished. I plan to stick to it until the case is closed.

Then I might get back to my Kal Arath and Niv Lova games. I’d like to get to stopping points on everything that I left paused, before I turn my attention to something new that I can really sink my teeth into. Something like Werewolf: The Apocalypse and perhaps finally really giving Mythic GME a try for the first time…

As for other things, I have one more Designing a TTRPG article in mind, titled “Art, Layout and Publishing” that I’d like to put out in June. I also want to get back into designing, I’m thinking a small hex map for Niv Lova could be fun with a settlement, a large AUA, and other fun POIs. zones (2) is an idea on the horizon but that’s quite a bit of work on my end so don’t expect an announcement too soon about it. I’d like to formalize how I receive entries so I’m not looking through different emails/DMs/discords to ensure I don’t miss anything.

I appreciate all those who continue to subscribe and read my stuff. I’m close to 1000 subscribers which is truly humbling.

As always, sound off with your suggestions, thoughts, ideas, criticisms and whatever else in the comments.

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! It’s on sale until end of May along with the supplement, Zona Nole. You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! If anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences. It’s on sale until end of May.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

part 1, part 2, part 3

Note: I will be revealing partial hex information for a handful of hexes from the Dolmenwood Campaign book, so be warned…

The band decides to follow the road east.

They come to the bridge, but spot a burnt-out ruin of a stone building to the north on the western river bank.

Leaving well enough alone, they cross the bridge and camp for the night.

Night: No encounter

Weather: warm, sunny

They continue along the road.

To the south they spot a graveyard and the ruin of a small stone building.

Investigating, they find ten graves, the earth freshly churned, the stones carved with religious script but no names.

The ruin is an ancient farmhouse, with one room standing, wooden door and shutters recently installed.

Within they find a gaunt, middle aged woman. She looks concerned at the strangers. Her hands and fingers are stained by dirt. “You should be gone from here by nightfall. Do not tarry.”

“Why is that? What danger lurks here?” Shadwell inquires.

She shakes her head, unable to say.

“Who are you?” he asks.

“Sister Parr,” she says quietly. “You must go or you will die.”

“Perhaps we can help you…” Shadwell says.

She shakes her head. “No…you cannot. He is a…monster and he is too strong. He can only be harmed by fire or magic.”

Shadwell glances at his comrades and then back at her. “Is there a settlement nearby?”

“Odd, to the south.”

“Very well. We will return when we can, Sister Parr.”

They leave and head south.

Lost? Yes → Hunter → No

Encounter? Yes.

Further south, they trek through tangled forest, until Shadwell spies something through the undergrowth. He is astonished. A shimmering pink horse, with an iridescent horn growing from its head.

“I’ve never seen such a wondrous sight…” he whispers.

Liz → Monster Lore: 6 → Success.

“It’s a blessed unicorn,” Liz says. “A magical being of pure goodness.”

Longtooth growls but Shadwell pats him on the head. “No need for that, we will let it be.”

Continuing on, they spot a few more in the distance.

Then, they hear a commotion ahead.

Bursting through the trees ahead emerges a huge group of fairies.

At the head is an elf knight in golden armor mounted on a dire wolf. 20 fairy hounds bound with the group, as well as 15 elf wanderers on fairy horses, five woodgrues blowing horns, and five sylvan centaurs.

They gleefully chase their prey in the distance, three blessed unicorns.

Shadwell motions the group to stay quiet and hidden. Best not to disturb such a group. Fairies can be fickle and disturbing a hunt seems not the best of ideas, although Shadwell is intrigued by such a sight and yearns to know more.

After the hunt passes, they continue south, coming to a seren pool of radiant water. Two blessed unicorns drink from the pool. Shadwell notes three monstrous black oak trees grow nearby.

Shadwell tells the others to wait and approaches the pool, leaving his bow and weapons behind. He cautiously approaches one of the unicorns.

As he gets closer, he passes close to one of the oak trees and gasps as red eyes open, peering straight at him.

He gulps but remains calm and quiet.

All three trees open their red eyes to watch him as he inches closer to the unicorn.

The unicorn looks at him suddenly, swishing its tail.

Reaction: +1 from fairy blessing = 8 → Uncertain, wary

It doesn’t spook or run but regards him closely.

He steps up to it, hands out. “Easy, easy, I’m not going to hurt you.” He gently reaches and touches it’s fur. He rubs his hand gently over the unicorn’s side. “You are magnificent,” he whispers.

It allows him to pet it as it goes back to drinking from the pool.

The trees watch.

After a few more moments, he steps back and leaves the pool.

Returning to his companions, they gather their things and continue south.

They pass a 10’ wide chasm in the forest floor, the bottom of which could not be perceived, before finally making camp.

Shadwell is quiet since the pond.

Night encounter: Yes

They are woken by the Wild Hunt returning, unicorns bursting through, the great train of fairie hunters following.

The group scatters to get out of the way and let it pass, before scavenging their things and going back to sleep.

Weather: Windy, cloudy

They get up in the morning and head south.

Lost? No. Encounter? No

They come out of the forest to find a cluster of thatched huts and animal pens nestled in a glade, with a grassy knoll at its center.

They’ve arrived at Odd.

Minor Milestone: 400 per character

Experience: Explored hexes x4 = 800

Meeting faction or type of creature x1 = 200

1000/3 = 333 + 400 = 733 per character

Shad: 806 → 7691

Liz: 640 → 2713

Dayle: 733 → 2433 → Lvl up! Chance of rune: 2d6 = 12! Wish!

The band emerge into the town from the north, passing by a precarious two-story lodge decorated with antlers and animal skulls. The church in the center on the grassy knoll draws the eyes, with a black monolith emerging from it as its spire.

A few folk nod in their direction and Shadwell inquires as to an inn. He is pointed to “The Moggle’s Gob”, the only tavern in the town. The sign depicts a monster with a gaping, misshapen jaw.

On the other side of the street from the inn is a worn, 8’ tall statue in the form of a chubby man. Strips of hide and strings of animal teeth adorn the statue. A mangy boar’s head is perched on top, concealing the statue’s own head.

Inside, the inn is gloomy and smoky, the bar covered in bear and wolf pelts, a grim-faced woman in her forties serving behind.

“What do ye want?” the woman asks.

“Food and rest is all,” Shadwell says.

“Fine,” she says.

They speak to others at the bar, inquiring about the village. They learn it’s home to a wise old sage and that Broobe Dogoode, the village headman runs things. The church is shuttered and folk worship in their own way in their homes. The town is called Creamslow by its inhabitants.

The team purchase rooms and go to sleep.

Dayle has a dream. In this dream, he finds himself in rolling hills of gold, a bright sun shining warmth down, and a young half-elf, half satyr woman approaching. “Greetings Dayle,” she speaks, her voice magical.

Dayle is unable to speak.

“I am Princess Andromethia. I believe in you.” She reaches forward, takes his hand in hers. It is warm, comforting. “I am gifting you with a Wish. Use it wisely.”

The dream ends.

“We can save Sister Parra,” Dayle tells the others.

“How?” Shad asks, eyes narrowed.

“I have been gifted with a wish. I will use it to destroy the creature that compels her.”

Shad looks at Liz who shrugs. “Alright, it’s worth a try.”

They decide to head back north.

Weather: Pouring rain. Poor Visibility, Wet Conditions

Unfortunately, they decide to wait out the poor weather.

Shad speaks with hunters at the Lodge, inspecting their fine furs of Fairy Foxes, Gobbles, Shaggy Mammoths, and Yegrils. He speaks with Broobe Dogoode, the village headman. When Shad speaks of the train of fairy hunters they came across, Dogoode is extremely interested. “The Wild Hunt? You saw it, truly? I would love to join it someday…” he says wistfully. He also shares a concern, a wretched mass of tentacles to the south, the origin of which he knows not.

Dayle visits the sage, Philontemus the Wizened. He has tea with the old man and learns Philontemus knows much of the ancient religions, legends, and folklore of Dolmenwood and is interested in ancient artifacts, especially those pertaining to the Gwyrae religion.

Liz investigates the Church. Surrounding it is a 5’ wall with a rusty iron gate that swings to and fro freely. Within the churchyard are wild old yew trees. The graves are marked with miniature obelisks rather than headstones, peculiarly. The windows are shuttered and the doors are chained and locked.

Next day. Weather: Warm, sunny

Lost? No. Encounter? No

The weather has turned and the sun shines.

The crew head north. They enter the tangled wood, spotting unicorns here and there, and pass by the silver pool.

Shad spots a hunter hiding and spying on the pool and the unicorns drinking there. Shad approaches the hunter.

Stalking: d6 = 5 → Success

He gets close enough and calls out in a low voice. “Hey there, leave them be.”

The hunter turns and looks back, surprised that Shad has gotten so close. “Mind yer business.”

“I said, leave ‘em be,” Shad says.

Longtooth growls next to him.

Reaction: 11

The hunter grumbles but puts up his bow and leaves.

The group continue north.

They come to the graveyard and the farmhouse, finding Parr within.

“Why have you returned? Ye should go, before dark, leave me,” Parr insists.

Shad shakes his head. “We won’t leave until he’s been dealt with.”

Parr takes a long breath, glances at a pile of debris obscuring a cellar door. “He’s down there. Draw him into the sunlight.” She leaves the building.

They move the debris, and go to open the door. Shad glances at Dayle.

“I hope you’re ready.”

He opens it. “Come out ye devil!” he calls.

Laughter wafts up. “Fools seeking your deaths? Come down and face me!”

“We have Sister Parr and will take her away, lest you face us, foul creature!”

They hear movement below and retreat outside of the building, facing it, Dayle in front.

A figure emerges in the sunlight, carrying a sword. Dark-haired, tall, ashen-skinned, eyes a bloody red, seemingly in his late 20s. Dresses in finery, blackened with dirt. He raises a hand to block the sun, wincing. “Fools, fresh corpses for Grinstead to feast upon!” He howls.

d6(4) will arrive in d4(3) rounds

The band are a decent distance from Grinstead in order to use ranged weapons before he can close in.

Liz is 40’ away. Shad is 70’, Dayle is 100’. They are also far from each other.

Longtooth is ordered to stand by Shadwell and not charge in.

Initiative: Band goes first

Dayle raises his hands. “I WISH for we three to have the means to destroy this foul beast!” (-3 CON)

A strange effect falls upon the air. Dayle feels within himself a power.

Shad feels the wood of his bow alive with energy.

Liz feels power within the stones for her sling.

Dayle thrusts his hands forward, using this new power within himself.

Grinstead save vs blast: Yes, 1/2 damage.

Dmg: d6 per level = 2d6: 8 → 4 dmg.

Grinstead hp: 18

Fire flew from Dayle’s fingers slamming into Grinstead and exploding.

He screeches in pain.

Shad takes aim and fires.

Liz slings a bullet.

1d20+3 = 14 vs AC 14 → Hit. d6 dmg = 1. GHP: 17

1d20-1 = 3 → Miss

Grinstead charges Liz and goes to bite her.

1d20+4 = 18 → Hits. 3 dmg. Liz dies.

She screams and collapses to the ground.

Sister Parr draws a vial of holy water from within her robes, takes a deep breath before charging and hurling it at Grinstead.

1d20 = 7 → Miss

The vial hits the ground and smashes.

Grinstead laughs.

Wolves arrive in 2 rounds.

Initiative: Grinstead goes first.

He charges toward Dayle and Shad but they are too far.

Dayle hurls another fireball.

Grinstead save: 3 → Fail. Full dmg

2d6 = 4. Grinstead hp = 13.

Shad moves 30’ and fires.

1d20 + 3 = 16 → Hit! d6 = 2 dmg. Grinstead at 11.

Grinstead moves toward Dayle and Shad.

Dayle hurls another fireball which explodes against Grinstead.

Shad retreats before firing again, striking Grinstead with an arrow.

Initiative: Tie → Goes to the player

Wolves arrive in 1 round.

Dayle uses Gust of Wind to push Grinstead back. Save vs Hold = Fail. Pushed 1d3 x 10’ back. Pushed 30’ back.

Dayle gestures and a billowing wind blows from behind him, into Grinstein, pushing him and Parr back 30’ feet.

Shad fires another arrow but misses.

Grinstead charges towards Dayle, snarling.

Dayle slams him with another fireball, scorching him, while another arrow from Shad strikes him in the shoulder.

Howling erupts nearby as three wolves emerge into the graveyard, looking hungry.

1d20+3 = 7 → Miss

1d20 = 17 → Hits but does no dmg.

Initiative: Grinstead first

Wolves arrive.

He moves towards Dayle.

Dayle throws another fireball.

Shad fires an arrow.

Grinstead save = Fail.

2d6 dmg = 7. GHP = 4

1d20+3 = 19 → Hit.

1d6 dmg = 2. GHP: 2

Three wolves arrive.

Initiative: Tie → Humans act first.

Dayle falls to his knees. “C’mon!” he says. This was his WISH. It has to work! Once more, flames shoot from his fingertips and smash into Grinstead who screeches in agony, his form crumbling to dust.

Without Grinstead, the wolves scatter.

Dayle feels the power leaving him immediately upon Grinstead’s death.

Shadwell feels the warmth within the bow leave it suddenly.

Parr breaks down, sobbing.

Shad goes over to Liz and closes her eyes. He then goes over to Grinstein’s remains. He finds the sword Grinstead carried. Arcane Longsword of cold iron; “Vilin remembers” is engraved on the pommel in Old Woldish. He also finds a key.

“It’s over now,” he tells Sister Parr. “Do you know what this key is to?”

She nods. “A chest in the tunnels beneath the farmhouse. Wolves guard it.”

XP: Grinstead → 360. Major Milestone: 2000 per character.

360/2 = 180.

Shad: 2398 → 9659 (lvl 4)

Dayle: 2180 → 4613 (lvl 3)

Sister Parr has joined the Party! (lvl 1 Friar)

“If it please you, I wish to accompany you,” Sister Parr says, looking at them. “I wish for..I pray for the opportunity to redeem my past misdeeds in serving the evil creature Grinstead.”

The group buries Liz in one of the graves and then puts some distance between themselves and the graveyard before camping for the night.

Encounter: No

Weather: Chilly, damp

They wake to a chill, damp morning.

Sister Parr prays for an hour after waking, while the others get ready.

Shad gives Parr Liz’s sling and bullets.

They approach the graveyard and farmhouse, going down into the cellar. It smells of rot and death, with dried blood scattered across the walls and a giant crack in one of the walls leading to the tunnels.

They venture in with a lantern lit.

Two wolves growl as they get close, a chest visible behind them.

Shad draws his arcane longsword. “Begone beasts!”

Longtooth charges forward, ripping a tear out of one wolf’s hide.

Shad charges and swings at the same one but it dodges to the side.

Dayle suddenly speaks in woofs, chuffs and barks.

“Be gone and we will not harm ye further!”

Initiative: Band goes first.

Longtooth charges and attacks. Hits for 6 damage!

Shad attacks the same one. 1d20 + 6 = 11 0 → Miss

Dayle uses the Glamour: Silver Tongue to speak to the wolves

Reaction: 7 → Good enough

The wolves scatter off.

Shadwell looks at Dayle. “What was that?”

“A trick,” Dayle replies.

Shadwell opens the chest using the key. They find 360gp, 494sp, 283cp, a sapphire ring, and a vial of Elixir.

“Let us leave this place,” Shadwell says.

They head south.

Lost? No, Encounter? No

They reach Odd by day’s end. Sister Parr inquires as to the odd state of the church. Shad and Dayle shrug. Liz had checked it out but she was gone.

The team rent rooms at the inn. The townsfolk remember them, but for some reason, are now calling the town ‘Angerslock’ instead of ‘Creamslow’.

The team purchase rooms and sleep.

Session 4 complete. It was a big one!

Was the WISH too powerful? Perhaps, but the party was toast otherwise.

I’m struggling with a few things while playing this.

I really have to think to figure out what these characters want to do that feels interesting and productive. Combat is also tricky with how crunchy it is, and with three characters, I have to figure out placement, tactics, movement, ranges, etc. I want all these things to make sense from a player and character perspective so it just takes quite a bit of fiddling.

Also, as well-written and evocative as Dolmenwood is, it’s not my favorite setting. I just don’t enjoy whimsy and there’s quite a bit of whimsy mixed in with the dark, brooding horror.

Might there be at least one more chapter left? Perhaps. I could see some interesting things happening in Odd with Sister Parr. We’ll see what happens!

Let me know what you think in the Comments.

Leave a comment

If you want to support me, you can become a paid subscriber or buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! Community copies are available on Itch if you don’t have the finances or just want to check it out before you buy. A purchase provides an additional Community Copy. Also, if anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

part 1, part 2

Note: I will be revealing partial hex information for a handful of hexes from the Dolmenwood Campaign book, so be warned…

Our group, consisting of Shadwell the hunter, Liz the bard, and Dayle the Enchanter last finished their quest to bring a letter to a contact in Dreg. They are now cooling their heels in Dreg, resting up and recuperating.

They stay at the Mermaid’s Arms, the only reputable inn in Dreg, homely and well-maintained. The sign bears a mermaid on a seashore with braided blonde hair.

The common room shows exposed dark beams, woolen rugs, scent of wood, and a cozy fireplace. A sign reads “No gambling, lewdness or sea shanties!”

Over a couple days, they get to know the bartender, Ogham Tweede, and his aunt, the owner, Tamrin Tweede.

The common room is often quiet, with a mix of travelers and locals, no crowds found here.

Ogham is a burly and rough-faced man, forty or so, dense black stubble on his face and head. He wears basic leathers and a white apron. He often clenches his fists on the bar. He speaks in hushed tones but bursts out in loud laughter when he appreciates a joke.

Shadwell learns he still seeks out word on his ex, One-Eyed Gil whom he hasn’t laid eyes on in 15 years, when they’d fled the grounds of Redwraith Manor.

Shadwell, having previously lived in Castle Brackenweld, is able to tell him he knows of One-Eyed Gil. She runs an inn in Castle Brackenweld called The Poppy Cock.

Ogham thanks him profusely. “If you are ever headed back that way, please give her a message for me. Tell her…I’m sorry and I miss her.”

Tamrin is an elderly woman with frizzy white hair and spectacles. She inherited the inn from her grandmother, but was once a capable adventurer. Liz learns she’s concerned about the growing violence and unrest in Dreg, wondering if there’s a magical cause.

Shadwell cares not. Once well-rested, he wishes to return to the Woodcutter’s Encampment due to a rumor he heard there.

“Halfway along the Camp Road to Castle Blackwood is the “Cave Path” (1208), which leads north-west up to Fog Lake (1207). A fairy has taken up resi-dence along this route, doling out secrets to those who best her in a musical duel.“

If true, it could give him a lead towards his desire to explore the Fairy Realm and now that he has a couple companions and some gold, why not?

-2 gp per lodgings and food per day. 101 left.

2sp per person (-8sp) to travel on a boat to Woodcutter’s Encampment.

100gp, 2sp left

Weather: warm, sunny

Takes 2 hours. 4 Travel points left.

They immediately take the Camp Road towards Castle Brackenweld and then turn north on the cave path.

Not lost, no encounter

The path cuts into a deep rock trough, dumping the group into shade for the majority of the day. The walls drip with water as they step through ankle-high flowers.

Shadwell stops at one point ,noticing a deep cleft in the rock, while Liz investigates a broken flute of basic make in pieces on the ground.

They come to a bride of black rock that arches over the path, a grimlakin sitting atop it, idly strumming her lute.

As they get closer, the grimalkin tips her feather-topped hat. She wears an extravagant bard’s garb with billowing shirt sleeves.

“We came to find you,” Shadwell says. “And to learn what you know of the fairy realm.”

“My name be Dandy Prisslewhiff and if ye can answer my riddle or best me in song, I will tell you what I know.”

Liz steps up, pulling out her panflute. “Allow me,” she says.

“Alright,” Dandy says. “First, a sentimental song.”

CHA: d20 + 0 = 16 vs d20 + 2 = 15 → Liz wins

Dandy bows after the song. “Beautiful. Now, a virtuoso.”

DEX: d20 - 1 = 1 vs d20 + 1 = 11 → Liz loses

Liz bows lower. “A commanding performance.”

“Now, improvise!”

WIS: D20 - 1 = 17 vs d20 + 0 = 1 → Liz wins!

Dandy hops off the bridge and drops to the path, whereupon she smashes her lute against the wall until it’s in pieces.

“You have bested me with your wonderful songs, I thank ye for allowing me to hear them, now, I will tell you of what I know.

Near the woodcutter’s encampment is an islet of rotting trunks and decayed mushrooms, full of frogs. If ye can climb to summit and lick the tongue of the frog-headed statue, it will cure you of any ailment that plagues you.

To the northwest is a cave, home to the witch Gragwen Hoad. If yoiu bring her magical items, she will remove a curse or grant you a potion of transformation.

To the northeast there is a pond but do not linger there for undead will rise and attack. There also lies The Hoary Gate, which would take you to The Prince’s Road but if you go that way you will not get far, that way is blocked.

To the north, above Fog Lake is The Mizzle Door. Go through that to the White Way. Fare thee well,” Dandy left.

The group made camp as the day came to an end, consuming rations and getting some rest.

Simple camping procedure

No night time encounter

Weather: Brisk, clear

The rose and headed north to Fog Lake.

Not lost, no encounter

The group make their way around the lake, leaving the crystal caves behind them, more interested in the wooded slopes to the north.

As they approach, a persistent mist swirls until it coalesces into a gigantic doorway flanked by two fearsome, sword-wielding guardians.

Shadwell takes a breath before plunging through the doorway, Longtooth at his side.

The guardians watch but do not move.

Liz and Dayle follow.

They emerge onto a gravel road twisting through a gloomy twilight forest. There is no color here.

Unsettled but determined, they continue on.

Later in the day, they encounter a group of three Elves.

The elves are uncertain and wary.

Both groups cautiously approach, pass and continue on their way without incident.

As they continue, the light fades to utter blackness. Torches provide no light even when obviously lit.

Shadwell insists they make camp as best they can while the darkness persists.

Eventually, light returns and they continue moving.

In the distance, Shadwell spots a horse moving towards them, alone, without a rider.

As they get closer, he notices it’s dappled-silver hide and intelligent eyes.

“Humans on the White Road, how interesting,” the horse says when it’s close enough.

“You can talk,” Shadwell says, eyes wide.

“Of course I can,” the horse neighs and shakes its head. “My name is Chancey, I’m a Fairy Horse.”

“How wondrous,” Dayle whispers.

“I seek the name of every moss and fungus in Dolmenwood. Would you tell me the names of the ones you know?” Chancey asks.

Shadwell gulps and nods. “Of course, of course.” Being a hunter, he knows of more than a few.

Once he’s done, Chancey nods. “Thank you, you have been most helpful.” Chancey closes his eyes, lowering his head close to Shadwell’s.

Blessing: Fairy friend. The recipient gains a +1 bonus to Reaction Rolls (see Encounters, DPB) when dealing with fairies

“Good luck with you,” Chancey said and trotted off.

A few hours later, they emerge out of the White Road, through a stone-lintelled portal.

Experience: Finished Quest: Find the White Road and travel across it

Major Milestone: 2000xp per character

New hex x5 = 1000xp

Meet new Faction or Type of Creature: Elf, Fairy Horse = 400

Discover Hidden location: fairy door = 200xp

Confirmed rumor of the fairy = 200xp

1800/3 = 2600

Shad gets 2860 // Liz gets 1170 // Dayle gets 1300

Shad becomes lvl 3

“Where are we?” Liz asks, looking up. There is a relentless moaning wind and the sky seems vast and malevolent, the land around them dotted with hills.

“I have no idea,” Shadwell says and points to a tall hill. “Let’s get up there and get our bearings.”

They hustle up to the tall hill and get a view of the surroundings. More hills, a road, and a recently tracked trail branching south from the road, leading to a large mound ringed by a series of concentric ridges, an encampment of tents and wagons amid the ancient earthworks.

Approaching the camp, they are welcomed in and meet with Archibald Helmwhit, a sage who is working on unearthing Great treasures here. He lets them know they are in the hills of the Table Downs, far to the north of where they entered the Fairy road. He proposes hiring the group either to help with the digging or check on the other digging crews at other locations.

They agree to head south and check on one of the digging crews in the morning. They are provided food and shelter for the night.

Weather: Windy, cloudy

4 travel points, 2 left.

Lost? No. Encounter: Yes. Willing Sacrifice? No

Encounter Type: 3 → Mortal. d20 = 7 → Friar (1d6 = 6)

Are they lost? No, and they are searching for the Shrine of St. Torphia

The band make their way south, pushing through thorn trees, tall reeds and smelly ponds. Sound echoes and sounds louder than usual here.

They cross a band of six friars trekking through the marshy depths.

A brief conversation informs the group the friars are searching for the Shrine of St. Torphia, which they know is to the east of here.

The two groups wish each other well and continue on their ways.

At mid-day, Shadwell and the others come to a burial mound in the centre of a drier patch of ground amid the watery marsh. It’s 60’ in diameter, made of dirt and stone. Hanging moss droops over it haphazardly. There is a single stone entrance, above which is a visage of a snarling bear.

The entrance is extremely narrow and the adventurers have to squeeze through side to side.

Shadwell lights a torch before they enter.

Past the entrance, it opens into a Reception Chamber, the firelight revealing six human bodies. They had perished in agony, hands clenched over their ears. Amidst the corpses are picks, shovels and backpacks full of provisions. Clearly, this is the digging crew Archibald spoke of.

The stone walls reveal carved images, a priestess, being buried, a bear-masked female sacrifice.

The entrance to the burial chamber is open.

They take the provisions (rations), and leave, deciding it best not to disturb the mound further.

They make camp outside the mound.

Night encounter? Yes

1 giant mutant slug, 32hp

Mutation: Regeneration → Gains 2 hp at start of round as long as not dead

distance: 2d6x30 = 150ft

Slug gets surprise round.

Moves 30ft. 120ft away

Shadwell wakes the others, drawing his bow. “Monster!” He calls out, pointing into the dark at the giant slug coming their way.

Init: Slug goes first

Moves 30ft. 90ft away.

Shad fires an arrow, Medium range. 1d20+3 = 4 → Miss.

Liz hurls a stone. Long range. 1d20 - 2 = 0 → Miss

Dayle hurls a stone. Long range. 1d20 - 2 = 4 → Miss.

Init: Slug goes first. Moves 30ft. 60ft away.

Liz makes a Monster Lore check: Success!

“It’s a Mutant Snail!” Liz calls out. “It will devour us whole!”

“Time to go,” Shadwell says, the group gathers their things and run.

Does the mutant snail pursue? Yes but…not for long

They are able to get away, as dawn breaks over the horizon.

“We can head back north, and report what we found to Archibald,” Shadwell says.

Weather: brisk, clear

Lost? No, Encounter? No

They make their way north, into the windy hills of the Table Downs.

As they come to the camp, all they see is desolation.

Before they even get close, they can tell the tents have been torn ragged, there are figures lying on the ground, unmoving, and there is a 25’ tall whirlwind of turquoise spectral energy, bristling with electricity, a spectral figure visible within.

“Nope,” Shadwell says, shaking his head. “Not going back there.”

They leave, taking a wide berth around the encampment to reach the road to the north.

Experience: Scouted information on diggers

Milestone - Deed, 200xp per character

Exploration - 2 hexes, 1 new creature type, 600xp

600/3 = 200.

Shad gets 440

Dayle gets 400

Liz gets 360 → Advances to level 2

Session 3 complete!

Let me know what you think in the Comments.

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Check out my first post on playing a pre-made hex-crawl, here.

If you want to support me, buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! Community copies are available on Itch if you don’t have the finances or just want to check it out before you buy. A purchase provides an additional Community Copy. Also, if anyone is playing and enjoying it, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

zones (1) is published!

Physical

Digital

Loads of good stuff in here, all by awesome contributors.

Digitally it’s available for free. The POD is available at cost of materials and printing.

Please check it out!

Also, in celebration, get Niv Lova and Zona Nole on sale until May 31st! The sale applies whether you purchase them together or separate!

Tune in next week for some SOLO DOLMENWOOD!

Thanks so much to everyone whose been following me, reading my writing, and checking out my work. I appreciate it.

Please share to any who might be interested.

Share

And if you have any questions or thoughts, drop a comment or feel free to message me.

Leave a comment

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

I did it! I successfully solo-ed Dark Heresy 2nd Edition using my own hacked together solo tools. It wasn’t easy but I managed a pretty decent investigation, with some dynamic combat situations and a fairly satisfying conclusion.

You can find the tools I used here.

It could have gone better, sure. Mysteries are always a tricky thing solo. You have to ask interesting questions to get results that push the investigation forward. I think with these types of games, it’s helpful to think in terms of scenes, and just jumping from one scene to the next. Jump forward in time, there’s no need to get bogged down in too many details in between.

I think combat is the most difficult part of solo-ing a game like this. How do you determine who you face? How many enemies? I tried using the Core rulebook’s method for making ‘balanced’ combat encounters but with the amount of combat options, the talents, the equipment, and the luck of the dice, it’s really difficult. I was very afraid that the Fleshhound was going to end up being a TPK and it very well could have been. If I had begun the encounter with it closer, if I hadn’t gotten lucky on some critical hits, if I’d rolled worse on the panic table, etc. I’m fairly sure it would have one-shot any of my characters. It was enjoyable to play and very tense, but when publishing the actual play, I wished I had mixed up the narrative with the dice rolls which would have given the reader the same kind of tension I was feeling. I was spending Fate points like crazy!

40k is a fascinating setting. I randomly rolled Juno which had some interesting backstory, but left much of the city layout and description vague, forcing me to fill in with my own imagination as best I could. Many of the planets are similar, save for Hive Desoleum which has the most content. You can find tons of lore and description in various wikis as well though, which was incredibly helpful.

I was very happy with my Inquisitor Kateryn. I really enjoy her as a character and love her backstory. I’m glad I picked up two Acolytes because it’s just so dangerous to play as a single character. She could have gotten stomped by that thug and heavy in the first combat after a couple bad rolls!

I will return to her. A new mystery on a new planet, with her two Acolytes, but not for awhile.

How did you all enjoy it? What do you think might have improved it or your reading experience? What did you like or dislike? Let me know in the comments.

Leave a comment

What’s next, then?

Dolmenwood. A reader asked me to return to Dolmenwood so that’s what I’m doing! If you’d like a refresher, check out parts one and two.

What else? I’ve been hard at work compiling and writing Zones 1, the Community Niv Lova Fanzine. I think it’s coming out really well! Hope to be completed and released by May 1st digital and POD. I really appreciate anyone who contributed. If you missed out, don’t worry, I already have ideas for Zones 2…

I also plan on putting Niv Lova and Zona Nole on sale for a month on release to coincide with the zine.

Thanks so much to everyone whose been following me, reading my writing, and checking out my work. I appreciate it.

Please share to any who might be interested.

Share

And if you have any questions or thoughts, drop a comment or feel free to message me.

Leave a comment

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and Jesse Read for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

If you want to support me, buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! Community copies are available. I also recently released a 93-page supplement called Zona Nole!

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

Part 4

Twist/Event: 20%. 1d100 = 5

d12 → Disaster: Natural or manmade, hinders the investigation

Kateryn walked the streets with her cloak held close, her hood pulled tight, hiding her face. She passed grand statues, long faded and cracked from a lack of maintenance. She avoided Vigil guards and Arbitrators of the Adeptus Arbites, harassing citizens for information.

She headed away from the thick crowds, into the lower areas, the further sections, the buildings growing more crippled and broken, the structures sinking, the streets broken, the people wilder.

Overly-eager men who approached were quickly shown the shotgun holstered on her thigh and the revolver at her hip, enough to convince them she was more trouble than she was worth.

Finding her location, a bombed-out hotel, she clambered over rubble and into the lobby.

It lay empty, crusty carpeting and ripped wall-paper.

She made her way to the back, up some rotted stairs, and through a slanted door into a large conference room.

Inside, a dozen or so people stood speaking with each other, interrupting, talking over and arguing with one another.

As Kateryn stepped inside, they turned to her.

One, whom she had rescued from the prison, approached. His name was Armen Ritter. He had a scar across one eye and sleeves of tribal tattoos over his arms. “You came,” he said. “I wasn’t sure you would.”

Kateryn didn’t respond, lowering her hood and reviewing the group before her, most of them staring with suspicion. She noted injuries, dirty ragged clothing, weariness behind the eyes. “This is the rebellion? Those who will lead the revolution?”

A woman, her hair shaved, revolver at her hip, wearing a military vest looked at the others around her. “Who the fuck is she?”

“She helped some of us get out,” Armen said.

“From what we know, she’s some ‘special investigator’ who was working the mass murders case with a local Arbitrator, Garrus,” another of the group spoke up.

“Are you going to provide more useless questions and information or are you going to allow me to speak?” Kateryn asked, striding forward into the middle of them.

A tense silence followed.

“I am an investigator. I investigate heresy, chaos, and corruption, wherever it is found. I judge those involved and determine their fate. If necessary, I ensure the punishment is carried out.”

Some of them were shaking their heads as if they didn’t believe it. Others hadn’t caught on as quickly and just looked confused.

Kateryn pulled out her Inquisitorial Rosette, showing it to the hushed crowd.

“I am an Inquisitor.”

Juno had always been a world of conflict. The rich and powerful threw parties in their mighty, grand homes, whilst the poor and wretched were worked to the bones, ground down, and ignored. Outcasts and mutants lived outside of the cities amongst the radioactive and dead wastelands.

Every so often authorities would purge a neighborhood, claiming revolutionaries plotting treason.

As the unending warp storm named the Pandaemonium has waxed, waned and grown worse over time, as the sector falls further and further into decadence and chaos, so too did Juno, and Juno’s elite.

Resentment, anger, hatred, and indignity have always fostered up-start rebellions on the planet, cut short by brutal massacres and genocides.

As the fist of authority grips ever tighter around the necks of its citizens, they grow ever more tired of the yoke, yearning to break free and bite the hand that barely feeds, the wealth that perhaps once trickled down, has now gone dry.

These were the ones Kateryn turned to. Various groups of malcontents were represented by the figures in this conference room.

“The Emperor has not forsaken us,” one whispered.

“Why? Why come to us?” The woman in military gear asked.

“During my investigation, it became clear that heresy has spread throughout the upper echelons of Juno. I have sent word to my Order of the vastness of the conspiracy but it will take them time to come.”

The crowd listened, silent as a tomb.

“But I will not sit idly by while the heretics choke the life from this planet and condemn millions to Chaos and death. The Imperium has not forgotten Askellon. The Emperor has not forsaken Juno. We can-”

The ground shook, hard.

A few fell to the ground, others leaning against the wall.

“What was-”

It shook again.

“Get out, now!” Kateryn yelled, shoving others towards the door.

Earthquakes weren’t unusual, whether natural or caused by the collapse of large, ancient, ill-maintained structures, entire neighborhoods and districts could be plunged into sudden sinkholes.

This place had become a death trap.

Kateryn and the others scrambled through the deteriorating hotel, upper floors collapsed down in random spots, crushing those beneath.

Awareness: 49/48 = Failure

d10 damage: 1 → Armor protects

Debris collapsed onto Kateryn, knocking her to the ground and out of breath. She pushed herself up, gritting her teeth, legs pumping and ran out of the building, coughing from the dust.

Outside, the crowd were scattering, the entire area continuing to rumble, other buildings threatening to fall.

She swore and spat dirt out of her mouth. “Fucking hell,” she swore. “Can’t catch a fucking break.”

It would take time to find the rebel leaders, make contact, gather them together again.

Time she didn’t want to waste.

“We need to hit them hard,” Kateryn said, back at the safe house, looking at a data slate, sitting at the table with Garrus and Valeen.

“Hit who?” Valeen asked.

“Lord Schuster is involved. The Commander of the Adeptus Arbites is involved. We have to assume most, if not all of the power structure on Juno is compromised.” Kateryn scrolled through data Valeen had been compiling about the government and administration of Juno. “At this point, I’m ready to burn it all down.” She set the slate on the table.

“That’s why you met with the rebels?” Garrus asked. “You actually want to…start a revolution? A real revolution?”

“If that’s what it takes.” Kateryn looked at Garrus. “Make your report.”

Garrus sighed. “The Adeptus Arbites continues to remain on high alert, supporting the Vigil in maintaining martial law, trying to seek out and destroy rebel groups. There is even talk of bringing in the Grand Army.”

“Good,” Kateryn said.

“Why is that good?” Garrus asked. “People are already getting hurt and killed, bringing in the military will only make it worse.”

“We need it worse. Consider what it will take for the citizenry of Juno to rise up against its masters. We need desperation.”

Twist/Event: 10% = 64/10 → No

Descriptor + Theme = “Empty” “Technology”

They approached, hands held in fists, teeth gritted, nerves frayed.

Kateryn flew the cargo ship towards the warehouse out past the fringes of the city.

“This is a trap. We know this is a trap, right?” Garrus repeated.

Kateryn didn’t respond.

The warehouse loomed, enormous and ramshackle. Signs of its once-greatness remained, embellished metal walls and large earth-moving machines long-since dead, parts scavenged, lay slumbering.

Parts of the roof had collapsed but still, it stood as one of the largest structures on the planet.

Kateryn landed on the dusty plain that surrounded it. “Lock and load,” she said.

They entered the warehouse through a gap between two large, ajar doors, weapons drawn.

There was a low hum in the air, the source uncertain.

Psyniscience: 35/48

Kateryn sensed the barrier weak here, the warp close.

“The warp is strong here,” she whispered. “Be ready for anything.”

“Wow that’s super fucking helpful,” Valeen whispered back.

Kateryn smirked.

Catwalks crisscrossed above.

Kateryn and her crew stalked forward, cautiously.

“You came,” a voice resounded from above.

Weapons pointed up.

Schuster stood on one of the catwalks, bolt pistol in hand. “I wasn’t sure you would.”

Kateryn raised a hand, showing a detonator. “Here to talk. You want your precious cargo to survive, right?”

He glowered from above. “Unfortunately, your death is worth much more than that cargo!” He hissed, raising a hand and bringing it down.

Before anyone could do anything, the air at the far end of the warehouse shimmered, twisted and revolted.

A feeling of wrongness curled itself inside Kateryn’s stomach. “Something’s here!” She shouted.

A roar, unfortunately all too familiar to her, echoed throughout the warehouse, as Schuster took off running down the catwalks.

The roar from deep in the cave. The same roar.

A voice, slithering in her ear. “Khorne’s minions will kill you, slowly and painfully. I can help you…If you want to live, you need me…”

The beast bursting through cavernous rock, enormous, of tooth, claw and fang, charging at her, gleaming brass collar around its neck, its eyes full of glee and need, the need to kill.

Her, letting the voice in, letting it take her, corrupt her, possess her, the only way to survive…

Fear gripped Kateryn, her body shutting down, her brain racing. She kneeled and held up her sniper rifle, her hands shaking.

She aimed and fired.

The bullet struck the Fleshhound in the head, grazing it.

Garrus and Valeen froze, unable to move.

The Fleshhound reared up, making a keening, screeching call, jerking it’s head back and forth, its eyes turning red and bloodshot as it drove itself into a frenzy.

“No, no, no, no, no,” Kateryn whispered to herself.

Schuster emerged from the shadows above, firing his bolt pistol.

Kateryn ducked to the side, avoiding the bullet.

Valeen snarled and swept her lasgun up into her shoulder, aiming down the barrel at the giant monster in front of her. She lined up her shot and fired.

The laser slammed into the creature’s left arm, jolting his entire body. As it tried to stand, it’s arm crumpled, sending it prone to the ground, crying out in surprise.

Kateryn ignored Schuster above, took aim and fired at the prone beast. The bullet struck the creature’s other arm in such a way, flesh, blood and bone exploded in all directions.

The beast screeched in dying agony, it’s legs pushing it in a slow circle, blood spraying out of it’s gaping, limbless shoulder wound, its head turning back and forth.

“NOOOOOO!” Schuster screamed, his eyes wide, his mouth agape. “IT CAN’T BE!”

“Garrus, get up there,” Kateryn said, adjusting her aim upwards.

Garrus shook himself, spotting a ladder up and started moving.

Kateryn fired.

The bullet struck Schuster’s knee with a great snap.

Schuster screamed and collapsed.

At the far end of the warehouse, the wrongness returned, the air shimmering, coalescing, darkening until…the fleshhound’s body disappeared, returning to the warp.

Heavy breathing, Garrus’ movements and the lord’s painful mewlings were the only sounds in the now-quiet expanse of the structure.

“Fucking hell,” Valeen said and spat on the ground.

Surprise round due to the psyniscience check.

Kateryn: Willpower check - Fails by 2 degrees. Shock roll 1d100+20 = 24: Fear grips the character and he begins to shake and tremble. He suffers a –10 penalty on all tests for the rest of the encounter unless he can recover his wits (see Shock and Snapping Out of It, page 286).

Garrus: WP check - Fail by 4 degrees. Fate point. Fail.

Shock roll: 1d100 = 65: The character is frozen by terror. He can take no actions until he recovers himself (see Shock and Snapping Out of It, page 286). After snapping out of it, he makes all tests with a –10 penalty for the rest of the encounter.

Valeen: WP check - 100 - Crit fail. Fate point. Fail by 3 degrees.

Shock roll: 1d100 + 30 = 68: The character is frozen by terror. He can take no actions until he recovers himself (see Shock and Snapping Out of It, page 286). After snapping out of it, he makes all tests with a –10 penalty for the rest of the encounter.

Everyone gains +5 Insanity points.

Kateryn aims and fires. +20 aim, +10 standard, -10 from fear. Spent 2 fate points to finally hit! 1/72 = 7 degrees of success. 6 + 2d10 (4+1=5) = 11 dmg. (I swear the roll20 dice hate me.)

3 pen drops the armor to 9. Shot deals 2 wounds. Fleshhound at 13/15.

Fleshhound makes a Willpower check not to Flee due to Bestial trait. Roll: 34/40 → Success.

Fleshhound spends the round becoming Frenzied.

The Fleshhound took damage and did not deal any damage this round, therefore it must make a WP check due to Warp Instability. 21/40 → Success.

I SWEAR ROLL20 HATES ME

Next round. Initiative:

Schuster → 12 V → 10 Kat → 9, FH → 7, G → 4,

Schuster emerges and fires at Kat but misses.

V: WP to Snap out of it. Fail. Spend Fate to increase +10, success!

Valeen fires her las gun. 3/50!

Dmg = 13! Righteous Fury! +2d10 = 17! 30 DAMAGE!!!!

Righteous Fury Critical Hit: 1d5 = 4: The shock of the attack causes the character to temporarily lose control of his autonomous functions. He is Stunned for 1 round and is knocked Prone. The arm is Useless for 1d10 (9) rounds.

Unfortunately, while in a Frenzy, the FH is immune to being stunned.

30 - 12 armor = 18 wounds. FH: 5 Critical Damage → The attack causes energy to course through the target's arm. He is Stunned for 1 round, and the arm is Useless until the target receives medical treatment.

Kat: WP to Snap out of it → Success!

Aims and fires sniper rifle at the FH. Hits with 5 degrees!

Dmg: 14! Righteous Fury!! Crit dmg: 4 → The impact crushes flesh and bone. The target drops anything he was holding in that hand, and must make a Challenging (+0) Toughness test or suffer 1d10 Weapon Skill and 1d10 Ballistic Skill damage. Tough: Fail. -5 WS, -10 BS.

14 + 2d10(12) = 26 - 12 = 14 damage. Crit dmg = 10+

In a rain of blood, gore, and meat, the target's arm is removed from his body. Screaming incoherently, he twists about in agony for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground and dying.

As per the effect directly above, except as the arm is removed by the force of the attack, bone, chunks of flesh, clothing, and armour fragments fly about like blood-soaked shrapnel. Each target within 2 metres suffers a single hit for 1d5-3 Impact damage to a randomly determined Hit Location.

Garrus: Snaps out of it due to the creature being dead. Goes after Schuster

Next round: Initiative: Kat wins.

Kat aims and fires at Schuster’s leg.

18 dmg. Crit Dmg: 5 → The blow breaks the target's leg with an agonising snap. He is Stunned for 1 round and knocked Prone. Reduce his Movement to 1 metre until he receives medical attention.

“Who’s involved? I want names. Everyone,” Kateryn snapped.

Schuster was chained to the wall in the basement of the safehouse. His leg was patched up but he looked like hell. His skin pale and his eyes bloodshot. He had scales coming out of his skin and one hand was gnarled, mutant claws. The stench of corruption was thick in the air.

But he was also beaten.

She could see it in his eyes.

“The Emperor, the Imperium, has forsaken us, forgotten us, left us to doom.” he said. “We turned to another who would save us.”

“You turned to Khorne,” Kateryn said.

Schuster grinned, eyes wide. “Our planet has been built on war. War after war after war. Violence destroys and renews, never-ending. Of course it attracts Khorne. Vera was easy to convince, the previous High Marshal so ancient and wits-addled, she was eager to take over. After years of research, of finding what I needed, it was only too easy to reach out. I only needed the proper sacrifices. Once I proved my devotion, I was granted a gift…”

“The fleshhound.”

He winced and closed his eyes.

“With it, you could kill any and all who opposed you. Any who still stood with the Imperium, with the Emperor. Who else is involved? The Praefectrix?”

He shook his head and snarled. “She hasn’t left the Pellucid Tower in years. Messages go in and come out, but whose to say who is receiving or sending them? Or what information is being passed which way? No, no, she long lost control. Proxy High Minister Lord Alphax Duss rules in her stead.” He seethed. “He tries to prop up a failing system, a ‘true believer in the Emperor,’” He spat on the floor. “You can’t stop it, only delay the inevitable. Chaos will consume Juno and the entire sector!”

Kateryn left him ranting and raving.

Valeen infiltrated Schuster’s estate, found his inner sanctum, documents and data. Names of those involved in the heresy.

Garrus spread word through the Arbites, the Vigil and the Grand Army.

Things weren’t right on Juno. They hadn’t been for a long time. This wasn’t surprising news to most.

Kathryn met with Alphax Duss. She connected him to the rebel groups who were loyal to the Emperor. Systematically, heretics were identified and purged, from one organization to the next.

It was a bloody, brutal and slow process.

Endless trials, day by day, heretics found guilty and killed.

Other Inquisitors arrived. Inquisitors better suited to sifting through data, overseeing trials and bureaucracy. Inquisitors with administratum background and dozens of Acolytes to handle logistics and other banal nonsense in situations like these.

Kathryn left.

A rogue trader had arrived, but didn’t stay long, once they learned the circumstances.

Kateryn hitched a ride, docking her ship with the enormous vessel before it jumped but this time, she wasn’t traveling alone.

She had two new Acolytes.

“It’s just…onto the next, then?” Garrus asked.

“What did you expect? A ceremony? An award?” Valeen smirked.

Kateryn addressed them. “This sector is on the brink of being swallowed whole by Chaos. The warp storm grows. The connection to the Imperium fractures, weak and growing weaker. Cracks grow and widen. Heretics, Xenos and Daemons crawl through those cracks. They infest and corrupt. The Emperor’s might feels faint to many here. We must remind them, all of them, of his Will. We will not let Chaos take this sector, not while we still breath.” She took a breath, looking out into space.

“We’ve done our part here. Our work now takes us elsewhere.”

Next post will be a debrief reviewing how this all went.

Thanks so much to everyone whose been following me, reading my writing, and checking out my work. I appreciate it.

Please share to any who might be interested.

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Leave a comment

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, Eric and for being paid subscribers. Thank you!

If you want to support me, buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! Community copies are available. I also recently released a 93-page supplement called Zona Nole!

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

OFFICIAL SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED for Zones 1, the first issue of Zones, the Niv Lova Community Fanzine. We’ve got lots of great stuff inside, including road-creation rules by , new remnants by , pre-gen PCs, NPCs, Settlements and Rumors, in medias res starts, a whole new faction by and more!

I plan on putting everything together for release by May. Unofficially, if you still have an idea and want to submit, there’s still time to get it into the zine. I’ll continue accepting until I reach a certain point in the design. There’s opportunities for anyone to contribute rumors, npcs, settlements and more. Head to the discord! It’s a quiet, chill place to chat. You can submit there, DM me here, or email me at writefirster@gmail.com.

If it’s not on time, it can always be used in Zones 2!

BUNDLE/SALE: The bundle/sale for Niv Lova + Zona Nole is over, but don’t worry if you missed it. I plan on putting them on sale again when the zine is released.

Other Updates

I’m going to stick with my Dark Heresy AP for now. I’ve gotten into a groove and it’s getting really interesting. I would like to finish it up soon though, so I might push things towards a climax. After that…who knows? Whatever grabs my fancy. I’ve got multiple AP starts that I can return to (kal arath, niv lova, Dolmenwood, Bladerunner Solo…).

I’m open to suggestions!

I will be writing the feature article for the next issue of , which I’m very excited for! What am I going to write about? No idea! Make sure to subscribe to find out!

Thanks so much to everyone whose been following me, reading my writing, and checking out my work. I appreciate it.

Please share to any who might be interested

Share

And if you have any questions or thoughts, drop a comment or feel free to message me.

Leave a comment

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, and Eric for being paid subscribers. Nobody has to, but it feels really good when anyone does!

Thanks for reading!

If you want to support me, buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! Community copies are available.

Part 3

“Who is she?” Kateryn asked, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

“Her name is Xanith. She is an Acolyte, like you. She grew up in Desoleum and will be useful,” he said.

Kateryn bit her lip and looked away. “I work alone.”

“The Faceless Trade is nothing to be taken lightly. Dealers, smuggles, traders in all things heretical, profane, Xeno and worse. They are very capable agents. You must learn that sometimes, you need someone who can watch your back.”

“I can take care of myself,” she snapped over her shoulder.

“Enough of this!” His voice, deep, loud, overwhelming. “This is not a discussion. You serve the Imperium. You serve the Inquisition. You. Serve. Me.”

Twist/Event: 22/30 → Success

D12: 7 → Entanglement

Kateryn grunted as she wrapped bandages around her arm and body, her flak armor laying on the floor.

Sunlight filtered through the ragged ceiling of the large, broken down warehouse where she’d stashed the cargo ship, in one of the many abandoned cities on the planet.

First aid - Medicae. -10 for Heavily Damaged. Success with 2 degrees. Heal INT bonus(4) +degrees(2) = 6. Wounds: 6

“Damn,” Garrus said, walking in and noticing her. “You should’ve called me. I could have backed you up.”

She ignored his comment, standing up, grimacing. “You did as I asked?”

Garrus nodded. “Brought your ship, alone. Nobody else knows. But we have a problem.”

“What is it?”

“The Vigil claim to have come into evidence that identified the killer who, after being arrested, confessed.”

Kateryn gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, already knowing the answer to the question she was about to ask. “Who?”

“A woman by the name of Valeen Holtz.”

Crate after crate revealed a varied collection, from Xeno skeleton fragments to broken Xeno-technology, statues of mutated humans, symbols of Chaos, to tomes of the occult, forbidden histories and more.

Most of the objects were fake and worthless but some were clearly imbued with power.

The last crate held a smooth, small black chest.

Kateryn lifted it out and set it down. Just touching it, she felt…something. She opened the chest, revealing eight ivory candles, laying on dark red velvet cloth.

Lore-Heresy: Success

“The Candles of Ending…” Kateryn whispered to herself.

“What are those?”

She shut the chest. “Very, very dangerous artifacts. Used to weaken the barrier between our world and the warp.”

Garrus stepped back. “For what purpose?”

“All kinds of things, none of them good.” Kateryn looked around the cargo hold.

“So, this is proof. We can arrest him.”

Kateryn shook her head. “There are others involved, there have to be.”

“We can go straight to the Lord Governor. You’re an Inquisitor, he’d have to listen to you.”

She didn’t respond.

“You don’t even trust the Lord Governor?” Garrus whispered.

“I trust no one.”

Grotesque pieces from the cargo ship lay on the table in the dim, dingy interrogation room, a statue of a human-mutant abomination, a small human-like but not quite human skull, a necklace of human tongues.

Kateryn sat behind the table as Asperal was brought in by Garrus and sat down.

He looked at the table in horror. “What the-”

“You were right, Captain,” Kateryn interrupted. “I am not a ‘special investigator’. I am an Inquisitor.” She gestured to the items on the table. “These were found in possession of the lord you were working for. You are an accomplice to heresy. Do you know what the Inquisition does to one such as you?”

Intimidate (ordinary +10): 78/51 = Fail

He shook his head. “Bullshit. I don’t believe you.” He turned away. “And I’m not saying another word.”

“Take him back to his cell,” she told Garrus, who escorted him from the room.

She was still sitting at the table when Garrus returned.

“What now?” he asked.

She stood. “Keep him a few more hours, then release him.”

“Really?” Garrus asked. “Why?”

“Officially, he no longer has a connection to the case. There is no reason for the Arbites to keep him imprisoned.” She packed the artifacts on the table into a black duffel bag. “For now, forget that I exist. I will be in touch when I need you.”

Twist/event: 10% = None

Security: Fail

Asperal hurried through the dim streets of the city, late at night. He got to his residential block and took a rickety lift to the upper floors and more luxurious apartments. He went to his door, just as Kateryn came around the corner. She had her Stub Revolver in hand and pointed it at him. “Go in.”

“You kill me here and you’re dead,” he said. “I’m a Captain of the Vigil-”

“Shut the fuck up, cap and go inside, keep your hands where I can see them.”

Intimidate +20 = Fail

“I’m calling your bluff, I don’t know who you think-”

She fired.

Called Shot: Head

Success. Dmg = 1d10+3 = 10.

His head snapped back and he collapsed to the ground.

Kateryn holstered her revolver, pulling out a fire bomb. She lit it, tossed it and ran the other way.

It exploded behind her.

She sat at the bar, drinking wine and speaking with an attractive man.

He clearly liked hearing himself talk and she let him do so.

At one point, he asked if she would like to go home with him.

She nodded.

On the walk there, she led him down an alley, giggling and laughing.

Alone, she pressed him against the wall and kissed him.

He went to hold her close when she pulled the dagger from her back and thrust it into his gut. He gasped.

She thrust and thrust and thrust, her hands bloody. She yanked the dagger up, from his gut to his chest. She let him fall, shaking and convulsing.

She crouched down and touched his hair. “You sold a young woman to be a sacrifice for cultists. You deserve much worse than this,” she whispered, before leaving him to bleed out.

Twist/Event: 20% = 4 → Yes

d12 = 10: Pressure

Kateryn sat in a dingy diner, wearing rough work clothes, sipping bitter recaf, listening to the morning news report through a tinny speaker above the counter.

-The Vigil reports a Captain was murdered last night right outside his residence. Early reports indicate the work of radical revolutionaries-

The killing caused chaos and confusion, as it was meant to.

-Despite the incident, the Vigil will hold a public trial of the mass murder suspect tomorrow at Noon. If found guilty, she will immediately be executed for her crimes-

Kateryn closed her eyes. What did she know?

Intense mass killings by a noble (and others?). Candles of Ending used for…summoning? Daemons? Her agent made the scapegoat, about to be killed.

She sent a message to Garrus to meet her at the diner.

Fuck this.

Garrus sat across from her in the booth, ordered a recaf. His eyebrows were furrowed and he kept glancing at the door. “Why?” he asked, after a moment. “Why did you…murder him?”

“You forget yourself,” Kateryn growled. “There is only one to whom I answer to and that is not you.” She sipped her recaf and leaned back. “You are mine, now, Garrus. You are my agent. You work for the Inquisition. Is that understood?”

The waiter brought over a chipped mug of recaf and set it in front of Garrus, before walking away.

Garrus took a sip, grimaced and set it down. He looked up at her, perhaps wishing he’d never been put on the case. “I understand. What’s the plan?”

“We’re going to speak to your Commander.”

Twist/Event: 0%

Vera Shwarz, commander of the Arbites on Juno, stood with her back to Katern and Garrus, looking out the huge window of her office behind her desk, at the dingy, dusty city below.

Kateryn and Garrus sat in front of the desk, waiting.

“I’ve not heard of you,” Vera said, without turning, her voice thick, accented, old but hard.

Kateryn didn’t answer. She wore a black body glove and a black cloak.

Garrus wore his Enforcer Carapace armor but held his helmet in his lap.

“Why did you not come to me when you first arrived?” Vera turned.

“I work better from the shadows, until I know who I can trust.”

Vera sat in the chair behind her desk, eyebrows raised. “You did not think you could trust the commander of the Arbites on Juno?”

Kateryn gave a grim smile. “I’m still not sure that I can.”

Vera returned the smile with one of her own. “Then why reveal yourself now?”

“My hand has been forced. Valeen Holtz worked for Lord Schuster before I turned her. With her aid, I found evidence of Schuster’s involvement in the mass killings, as well as a haul of heretical artifacts that had been in his possession. He tried to hide those in a cargo ship parked out by the Bleak Pits, which I recovered. He’s feeling the pressure and is use Valeen as a scapegoat.”

Vera took all this information without expression. “Schuster is a powerful man on Juno,” she said. “Even has the ear of the Governor, some say.”

“Another reason I wished to stay hidden. We do not know who else may be involved.”

“Including, you suspect, myself.” Vera said.

Kateryn shrugged. “I have no evidence either way, as of yet.”

“What exactly is it that you want?”

“The case was taken from the Vigil by the Arbites. It stands to reason the Arbites get answer and to interrogate the suspect to confirm beyond reasonable doubt the suspect is the perpetrator. That should delay the trial, at least.”

“Is that all? With your evidence, we could have Schuster in a cell by nightfall.”

“I need more information. I need to know who he’s working with, what he’s done and what he’s planning. Juno is vulnerable.”

“You speak more truth than you know,” Vera replied, shaking her head. “The delay of the Black Ships leads to a growing concern in the Bleak Pits, the lack of Imperium notice and power allows chaos to reign. The wealthy and influential have their balls and parties, living in ignorance only true wealth can provide.”

Is Vera involved in the Heresy? 96 = Yes

She pulled a revolver out of her desk and leveled it at Kateryn. “The Imperium has forgotten this Sector. We have been forced to seek out other options to save us, as detestable as they might seem. Unfortunately for you, Inquisitor, you should never have come here.” She pressed a button on her desk and the door to her office opened, revealing a squad of Arbiters. She stood. “It makes sense that Valeen Holtz wasn’t working alone in committing those murders.” Addressing the Arbiters, she gestured to Kateryn and Garrus. “Bound, gag them and take them to the Vigil, they’ve confessed to participating in the mass murders.”

Twist/Event: 10% →

The cells were cramped, barren and dimly lit, rows and rows of them filled with discontents, rabble rousers, so-called revolutionaries, thieves and murderers, and other criminals.

Kateryn slid out the Multi-key she’d hidden and got to work on the lock to her cell.

Security: 97 → Failure, Fate point (0 left) 45 → Success

The lock clinked and she swung the door open.

Silence followed, as everyone nearby looked at her. She went to Garrus’ cell next, and then Valeen.

Valeen’s eyes were bloodshot, her face bloodied and bruised. Garrus helped her walk.

Kateryn looked at the rest of the inmates around them. “If you want a chance to get out of here, you’re going to need to listen to me, is that understood?”

Command: 13/49 → Success

-There has been a disruption at Vigil Headquarters. The Vigil claim sabotage by anarchist revolutionaries and report a few prisoners escaped in the chaos. The Adeptus Arbites are supporting the Vigil in hunting down these fugitives and ensuring the streets are safe for citizens. It is recommended citizens stay inside as much as necessary and it is illegal to be out after curfew. More-

In the safe house, Kateryn switched off the radio. She poured three glasses of amber liquid from a bottle, took one and drank.

Garrus took his and held it in his hands, looking down into the glass, not speaking.

Valeen grabbed hers and downed it in one gulp, before grabbing the bottle and pouring herself another.

Kateryn watched them, sipping at her own drink.

“We’re fucked,” Garrus said. “The commander? The commander is involved! We’re so fucked.”

“Drink,” she said. “That’s an order.”

Garrus gulped, licked his lips and then took a couple swallows.

Kateryn refilled his glass and her own.

“What do we do?” Valeen asked. “What can we do?”

“I send a message to my Order,” Kateryn said. “The Inquisition will respond but it will take time.”

“What do we do in the meantime? Wait around to get found and killed?” Garrus snapped.

Kateryn looked at him until he lowered his eyes. She stood.

“We will not sit idly by while Chaos festers and grows and infects this planet. We will find it, wherever it hides, we will expose it and we will destroy it.”

“How? How do we fight the entire system?”

“We find those the corrupt system has abandoned and use them,” Kateryn said, standing up.

She took the bottle and headed to her bedroom, but turned back. “Use the spare rooms and get some rest. We have much more work to do.”

Thanks so much to everyone whose been following me, reading my writing, and checking out my work. I appreciate it.

Please share to any who might be interested

Share

And if you have any questions or thoughts, drop a comment or feel free to message me.

Leave a comment

A special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, and Eric for being paid subscribers. Nobody has to, but it feels really good when anyone does!

Thanks for reading!

If you want to support me, buy a copy of my game, Niv Lova! You can get it from itch.io here or from drivethrurpg here. You can also get a Print copy at lulu here! Community copies are available. I also just released a 93-page supplement called Zona Nole!

If you’d like, you can join my discord to provide feedback, thoughts and comments on any and all things PWM, including Niv Lova, Actual-Plays, reviews, Other Rpgs, etc. Otherwise, you can always comment here or message me through Substack.

Zones 1 is now available for Submissions until March 31st! Any Niv Lova fan-made content is acceptable! Email writefirster@gmail.com with the Subject “ZONES 1” to submit.

Core

Itch: Niv Lova by Writefirstergames (w/community copies)

Drivethru: Niv Lova - WriteFirsterGames | DriveThruRPG

Supplement

Itch: Zona Nole by Writefirstergames

Drivethrurpg: Zona Nole - WriteFirsterGames | DriveThruRPG

CORE + SUPPLEMENT BUNDLE

Niv Lova + Zona Nole Bundle by Writefirstergames - itch.io

I’ve reinstated the Bundle! It will go until March 31st

It also means that currently the Core + Supplement are each 16% off!

Character Sheet by Silver Nightingale

A Handy Guide to Remnants

Nauka Svet, an Abandoned Urban Area

Zones

Zones is a Niv Lova Community Fanzine, set to come out in April or May. Submissions are open until March 31st. Create art, fiction, gear, mutants, AUAs, NPCs, pre-gen PCs, aberrations, remnants, settlements, areas of deviation, etc. Send it to me and it will be included with attribution.

Discord

Come chat on the discord any and all things Niv Lova or PWM or Write Firster related.

Actual Plays

A Short Stay in Niv Lova: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Niv Lova: Searching one, two, three, four, five, six

Journey to Zona Nole: one, two

- Find all 8 parts here

- Gangs Forever

Kol Noth is an attempt to play a bunch of world-building games to develop and flesh out an entirely new world all by myself.

Systems: Foundations, Microscope, The Quiet Year, The Deep Forest, Ex Novo

Tools: Deck of cards, Dice, Paper, Roll20

Kol Noth: The First Era (Foundations)

Kol Noth: The Rise and Fall of Ledera (Microscope)

Kol Noth: The Quiet Year of Turris, part 1 (The Quiet Year)

Kol Noth: The Quiet Year of Turris, part 2 (The Quiet Year)

Kol Noth: The Deep Forest of Zuid, part 1 (The Deep Forest)

Kol Noth: The Deep Forest of Zuid, part 2 (The Deep Forest)

Kol Noth: The City of Ongann, part 1 (Ex Novo)

Kol Noth: The City of Ongann, part 2 (Ex Novo)