Delving Wolf

A while ago (almost a year, time flies!) I wrote a post asking whether we should bring back Hit Locations, including an example of a Dragon modified for this idea, the "final boss" of the Icespire Peak campaign I was running online, using Owlbear Rodeo as VTT. I can finally  announce that I've been able to use that stat block, as I've finally managed to finish that campaign! So I can now return to you with my impressions of how the fight went and whether I find it actually usable in play. Let's get to it! First things first, before getting to this fight I added another bit to this stat block, after the Legendary Resistances and Actions, Lair Actions and Hit Locations: borrowing the idea from Nimble 5e, I added a Last Stand to the Dragon, something that would trigger once it reached 0 HP, giving it 40 more HP and adding a bit more damage to its attacks. Now let's get to the fight itself: although it covered most of the last session (after quite a bit of plann...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with Punk is Dead by Tim Roberts , a post-apocalyptic songwriting TTRPG (as it says on the cover) which sees the PCs as members of a band touring the Ununited Kingdom after nuclear destruction. Without further ado, let's get into it! 1. First of all, as usual, we roll for our class, or in this case  BAND ROLE . There are 7 possible choices, 3 of which are hip-hop themed; for personal preference I'll roll a d4 to stay within the more punk-themed roles: 3,  Drums.  I've played guitar in the past so I was hoping for that...but the dice chose otherwise. This band role gives us -2 DR to any test related to using brute force with our hand and feet and a...

The following is part 14 of my solo Pirate Borg campaign. It focuses mainly around the character I created in this post , which was so interesting to me that it prompted me to set up a whole solo campaign . You can start with episode 1 here . Let's dive right in! The Captain turned towards her companions.  Stay close to me, don't say anything unless I tell you to, and most importantly don't make eye contact with anyone on our way to Pedro: always look in front of you and stay focused. Do you understand? Sam and White exchanged a worried glance; out of the whole crew, they felt they were the least suitable for that task. Nonetheless, they both turned back to the Captain and nodded stiffly. - Bueno. Let's go then.  She pushed open the tavern's door with her shoulder and in that moment the stink coming from inside made Sam flinch. Had he not spent the last few days on The Shriek he might've fainted on the spot; White was suddenly as pale as his robe. But they didn...

After creating a realm , a faction and a forest for my future Silksong-inspired duet campaign (I talked about how the idea came to be  here ) I've started creating a dungeon (The Abandoned Manor) that will be part of said forest using the procedure  included in Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide. You can find part 1 here  and part 2 here . We expanded the first 4 rooms of the dungeon last time, so let's continue from there. 5.  LORE .  Room type : 11, Kitchen /  Clue : 6, Leavings 6.  LORE .  Room type : 4, Cistern /  Clue : 18, Temperature 7.  LORE .  Room type : 14, Shrine /  Clue : 5, Footprints 8.  TRAP .  Trap : 1, Ages /  Trigger : 4, Disturbing  5. This room used to be the manor's dining room, where the cult partook in rituals to try to connect with the deceased by having one of them consuming a large quantity of the mushrooms found in forest area 2. Some remains of mushrooms are still present only on o...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with Red Borg , a Borg hack all about revolting against the capitalist fat cats. It's a bit bare bones, but very inspiring. I'll be using the Italian version of the game, which in this case is also the original one. Without further ado, let's get into it! 1. First of all, as usual, we roll for our  CLASS . There are 7 in the game, ranging from the Anarchist to the Cosmonaut and the Suffragette, so I'll roll a d8: 2,  Workaholic . This gives us higher starting HP and a range of possible starting weapons fitting a proletarian, as you'll see in a moment; 2. Next we roll for our  ABILITIES : - Strength : 11 => 0 - Agility : 11 => 0 - Presen...

The following is part 13 of my solo Pirate Borg campaign. It focuses mainly around the character I created in this post , which was so interesting to me that it prompted me to set up a whole solo campaign . You can start with episode 1 here . Let's dive right in! A few days later they reached Havana. Sam was feeling almost physically sick at the idea of being in the den of the people who killed Catherine, but he kept repeating himself not all the Spanish could be blamed for the action of one ship, otherwise he'd have to answer for all the crimes the Royal Navy committed, which...were quite a few. Still, he wasn't happy about it. Once The Shriek was properly docked Captain Ramirez approached him.  Sam, I want you with me and White while we   go talk to Pedro. You need to change your clothes to do that, though. Sam blinked a couple of times, confused.  Why? The Armada and the Navy are allied now, so they might be more worried about a pirate than a British soldier. -Just bec...

After creating a realm , a faction and a forest for my future Silksong-inspired duet campaign (I talked about how the idea came to be  here ) I've started creating a dungeon (The Abandoned Manor) that will be part of said forest using the procedure  included in Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide. You can find part 1 here . Let's continue! After rolling for the general characteristics of the dungeon and the factions inhabiting it, it's now time to roll for the actual dungeon rooms. 1. SPECIAL .  Special:  12, Pool / Feature : 9, Grows 2.  MONSTER .  Group : 18, Shape shifter /  Activity : 4, Fighting 3.  TRAP .  Trap : 10, Drops /  Trigger : 8, Interacting 4.  TRAP .  Trap : 14, Hypnotizes /  Trigger : 15, Speaking 5.  LORE .  Room type : 11, Kitchen /  Clue : 6, Leavings 6.  LORE .  Room type : 4, Cistern /  Clue : 18, Temperature 7.  LORE .  Room type : 14, Shrine /  Clue : 5, Footpri...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with Black Powder and Brimstone by Benjamin Tobitt , a Borg game full of gunpowder and witchery set in a fantasy version of Renaissance Germany. Reading online I've heard people complain about the editing of the book and some rules inconsistencies, but I'll be using the Italian version to create this character. Without further ado, let's get into it! 1. First of all we roll for our  CLASS AND SUBCLASS . This game has 5 classes with 3 subclasses each, so I'll roll a d5+d3: -Class , d5: 5, Practitioner (a Paladin-style character) - Subclass , d3: 3, Vow of Sustenance, who can prepare abundant meals for themselves and their party members (which give ...

The following is part 12 of my solo Pirate Borg campaign. It focuses mainly around the character I created in this post , which was so interesting to me that it prompted me to set up a whole solo campaign . You can start with episode 1 here . Let's dive right in! They weren't kidding, in those days Sam had to work harder than he ever did while in the Navy. It felt different, though, because on his previous ship there was a strict hierarchical order and it was difficult to get along with your superiors, while on The Shriek everyone, captain included, was always willing to have a word with him or share a joke...as long as the Rules were followed. The voyage to Havana was mostly uneventful, save for one instance. One morning, shortly after dawn, Brother Bilge, who was on the crow's nest (he was surprisingly agile for his age), told Bones, who was at the helm at that time,  Watch out, there's a field of flotsam ahead of us, turn to port! The rest of the crew immediately wen...

After creating a realm , a faction and a forest for my future Silksong-inspired duet campaign (I talked about how the idea came to be  here ) it is now time to create a dungeon that will be part of said forest.To do this I will once again use the procedure  included in Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide. Let's begin! We already know our dungeon will be an Abandoned Manor part of the Shrouded Shelter forest, and that somewhere in it is the place where "The Veil between worlds is thin", where the Mirror can be activated (with all its consequences). First of all, let's make a few rolls to learn more about this place! 1. Let's first roll for the  HISTORY  of the Manor: - Original Use , d20: 12, Impenetrable vault - Built by , d20: 2, A fanatical cult This lines up with my original idea: This cult (whoever they are) built the Manor to secure the Veil; the Wizard we talked about during the forest creation might be the leader of the cult, or maybe its main researcher (a...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with  Points of Light by Dayle Grixti , a Borg hack that is even closer than Mork Manual to the B/X origins of Mork Borg, with less doomed world and more classic fantasy; I find this to be a very interesting and inspiring take. Without further ado, let's get into it! 1. First of all we roll for our  ABILITIES , using the traditional 3d6 in order method: - Strength : 14 => +1 - Agility : 13 => +1 - Toughness : 14 => +1 - Presence : 10 => 0 - Intelligence : 8 => -1 Not a bad series of rolls! The game allows us to then swap to if we want, but I think I'll leave mine as they were rolled; 2. Next we pick our  ANCESTRY  and  CLASS . I...

The following is part 11 of my solo Pirate Borg campaign. It focuses mainly around the character I created in this post , which was so interesting to me that it prompted me to set up a whole solo campaign . You can start with episode 1 here . Let's dive right in! Brother Bilge then turned to Sam and burst into a surprisingly loud laugh for a man his size.  You should see your face, mate! Le me explain: this is something we do every time   someone joins the crew; we bet about their reaction when they first see The Shriek, and the winners get to do only half work on the ship for a week at the expense of the losers. It's fun! You'll try it next time. -When did you even have time to do the bets?  Sam asked, dumbfounded. We were together the whole time! Bilge chuckled.  Oh, most of the crew already did when we were first talking. I added mine while you were talking to White. Sam turned to the robed man: What did you bet? -Oh, I never take part in this activity , replie...

It's time to return to the forest I created using Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide generator a few weeks ago  and continue to expand it, weaving the various results together to make it interesting to play in. Let's continue where we left off. In area 9 ( the hut with legs which is also a thieves' camp ) there's a bandit hideout on top of a platform elevated from the ground by four wooden poles and they always have a lookout, so a direct approach has very little chances of success. Attentive characters, though, will notice that a few of the trees around the hut protrude their branches very close to it, giving them another option. The bandit leader,  Neria  (she/her), is usually in the hut, together with 3/4 more bandits. Let's flesh her out a bit using  Cairn 2e's NPC tables , where I already got her name: - Name , d20: 17, Neria - Quirk , d20: 2, Bald - Background , d20: 14, Mystic - Goal , d20: 18, Survival - Virtue , d20: 5, Disciplined - Vice , d20: 2...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with  Mork Manual by Rodney Rickrode , a Borg hack that keeps the iconic Mork Borg style but is closer to the classic fantasy of games like B/X, of which it retains the race-as-class. Without further ado, let's get into it! 1. First of all let's roll for our CLASS , d10: 3, Fallen  (basically an Elf), a character who has a bonus on reaction rolls made against creatures you haven't met before and is immune to diseases, poisons and old age (among other things); 2. Next let's determine our ABILITIES , for which this game offers an alternative to the usual Borgs: d4-d4 x4, to be assigned as you wish and then modified by the class (in our ca...

The following is part 10 of my solo Pirate Borg campaign. It focuses mainly around the character I created in this post , which was so interesting to me that it prompted me to set up a whole solo campaign . You can start with episode 1 here . Let's dive right in! White closed his eyes and muttered what sounded like a prayer before replying  May she rest in peace. Did you have a chance to visit her village before ending up here? -I did, yes , replied Sam.  We went there a couple of days after the attack. I got there just in time to see her body before they burned her and the rest of the victims to make sure they won't come back as undead. White nodded gravely.  It's sad we are forced to do this, but at least it lets our beloved to be free from this world. -...or so they say,  Sam muttered   whille making eye contact with Catherine's dark eyes; he then immediately continued to prevent questions . Anyway, once I got there I asked my captain to help me find those wh...

It's time to return to the forest I created using Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide generator a few weeks ago  and continue to expand it, weaving the various results together to make it interesting to play in. Let's continue where we left off.   In area 2 ( the toxic spores area with watchful dead ), deep within a field of rotten mushrooms is hidden a Mirror, a magical artifact that allows communication with deceased people...at a cost: whoever uses it becomes the new guardian of the Mirror (a wight). Stepping on the mushrooms requires a successful save (STR in Cairn, CON in D&D and the like) to prevent being poisoned for 24 hours; submerging oneself in running water cures the poison [A river should be added in some other part of the forest, to offer a way to get rid of the poison]. The wight will attack anyone that touches the Mirror which, to be used, has to be in a place where "the Veil between worlds is thin" (area 3). The Elves know all this (it's an El...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with  Dukk Borg  by Gem Room Games, a Ducktales-inspired Borg game. Once I found out about it, I  had  to try it, so...let's begin! 1. First of all, let's roll for our  CLASS , d4: 4,  The Devotee  (a young member of the clan with a passion for adventure...basically the nephews); 2. Next we roll for our  ABILITIES , 3d6 each in order (as usual) adjusted by our class' modifier: - Agility : 12+1=13 => +1 - Presence  8 => -1 (but the DR for all PRES tests is reduced by 2) - Strength  10-2=8 => -1 - Tuffness  12 => 0; 3. Our class gives us a few  EXTRA rolls to make: - Favorite color , d4: 4, Pink; -...

The following is part 9 of my solo Pirate Borg campaign. It focuses mainly around the character I created in this post , which was so interesting to me that it prompted me to set up a whole solo campaign . You can start with episode 1 here . Let's dive right in! -You're a religious man, then?  Sam asked the robed man.  Despite everything the Dark Caribbean has to offer? -Yes, I am , he replied.  In fact, I am...or rather, I used to be a pastor, back in the Netherlands. -You're not anymore? -Sadly not, but it wasn't my decision. As you've seen earlier, I possess an...unusual connection with the Lord. I am capable of asking him questions and receiving proper answers, even though sometimes they are a bit...cryptic. -Wow, that's incredible! Though not unusual, on this side of the Ocean. -Exactly. Back in my homeland, though, it was almost unheard of, and that led to me losing my position and having to escape to these lands to avoid a...fiery demise. Long story short...

It's time to return to the forest I created using Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide generator 3 weeks ago  and continue to expand it, weaving the various results together to make it interesting to play in. Let's continue where we left off. Area 4 (the hidden village popular with smugglers)  is the den of a weretiger, Scratch, who is the "leader" of a group of smugglers. He's the only one permanently living there, but Scratch's Den  is known amongst smugglers even from far away for being a neutral site for exchanges, where things will go well (because no one in their right mind would try to cheat while in the Den, or they'd immediately pay with their life). Only criminals know about the Den. The bandits are not welcome here (they're too loud and "rude" for Scratch). He doesn't know about the Elves. Hidden in area 5  (the rotting farmhouse with the bound creature) , always guarded by 3 bandits, is a  Pegasus , chained to the floor and with ...

This week I'll continue my character creation series, continuing the series of Borg-like games characters made for a future project of mine. These will be alternating with other kinds of posts, like my solo campaigns recaps and some gameable content coming from my Duet Pirate Borg home game. This time we're going with  Orc Borg  by Grant Howitt, a Borg hack set in a spaceship full of orcs whose dungeons are floating in space and sometimes randomly crash into said spaceship. The concept alone sold me on it! As it has happened other times, I'll be using the Italian version of the game for this character creation, so some table results may vary here and there. Now, without further ado, let's begin! 1. First of all, let's pick our  CLASS : in this game you can only be an Orc or an Orcborg, so I chose to go  Orc Borg  to see more of what the game has to offer; 2. Now it's time to roll our  ABILITIES , which this game allows to assign after rolling (as ...