Kvara the Preist

While exploring the depths of the Underdark in Hymns of a Vagabond Game 10, Flint and his companion Sen lost their Thief Sina. It was a devastating blow reducing us to a two man party again. However, some how we managed to survive the first leg of the journey without the talents of our thief.

Along the way we encountered a strange individual. She claimed to live in the cave, and had two tarantulas on her face that she didn't seem to take any mind of. Thinking her evil, we approached her with caution, only to be pleasantly surprised. She was quite friendly, and using her healing magic restored both of us to full health.

But her kindness didn't end there; She then offered to take us to a village where we could rest up, and warn them of the strange and dark symbols we encountered at a forgotten tomb.

This mini comes from Splintered Light miniatures and can be found in their Warriors of Nature Player Character pack. This mini normally has a feather in its hair, but I removed that because it didn't quite work for this character.

I also chose to not paint spiders on her face, makes the mini a little more reusable.

So as players we learned that Kvara is a level 4 cleric which makes her a very useful addition to the party. However, as characters we don't know the extent of her powers, and she told us that she may not be welcome in the village she is taking us to.

Should make for an interesting game, and hopefully her track record will be better than most of our NPCs who have a habit of staying with the party (due to death or abandonment) for only 2 games. Fingers crossed; we could really use a cleric.


Written by: Andrew Gregory

The Gelatinous Cube

So, I made this mini myself. It didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, but I am still happy with it none the less. I have always wanted a gelatinous cube miniature, and think it is such a wonderful encounter.

I made this cube using a wooden cube from a bag bought at a craft store, and some green stuff. I then layered it with three shades of blue, and added a few bones and other objects inside.

Of course, now that I have made it, I will likely have to fight it, and as anyone who has knows, that is always a pain in the ass. So this decision may come back to bite me in the end, but at least for the mean time I am pleased.


Written by: Andrew Gregory

15mm Violet Fungus

There is a rather infamous encounter around the tabletop in JADE's Ivershill Campaign featuring a Violet Fungus. No one has managed to over come them, and several have set off the shrieker fungus nearby: summoning the powerful swamp monster.

So as ridiculous as it may seem, these two mushroom are just a little too much for my level 1-3 players to handle, but it always makes for a hilarious situation. When I saw that Splintered Light Miniatures had two such fungi I jumped at the opportunity.

I just got them painted, and I am not sure where they will turn up first, but my guess it will be in either Hymns of a Vagabond during the spelunk or in Arachnophobia as a chance encounter along the road.


Written by: Andrew Gregory

Bugs: The Meance, The Minis

Recently, Adam (the DM of Hymns of a Vagabond) asked me whip up a few beetles for game 9 of Hymns of a Vagbond. Well, I didn't have any beetles but I did have these alien "Space-Demon Nymphs" from Khurusan Miniatures.

I figured they could serve as a couple of monster from giant frogs, to different kinds of bugs... etc. So painted them up in a fairly neutral colour.

Thankfully they were exactly what he wanted; both in size, and relative design. Now at the time of writing this, I have not fought them yet, but likely I will know what they are by the time everyone gets to read this, so I will make sure to let you know at the bottom.

The group of eight make for a fairly large encounter and of course let's you play with their designs. I had a cool idea to paint some grey and red after I had finished. But such is life, I will just have to get more I guess!

I am sure these little guys will turn up all over the place in our campaigns, and I am quite glad I got them painted.


Written by: Andrew Gregory

P.S.

The Druid of Grayland Forest

I honestly never expected this druid to join the party in JADE's Arachnophobia Campaign. I wrote him in as a chance encounter, if the players travelled up the river for an hour. It was perpendicular to their course, and I didn't expect them to ever encounter this fellow, I just wrote it in as a "rare" event, on the off chance that they would surprise me. I do like to reward exploration after all.

Well, of course Elijah's character John Applewood wandered off into the woods as soon as the groupd headed out on the road. After checking his apple trees, and hu nting a deer, he ended up encountering the Druid when he was walking along the river hoping to encounter the party as they crossed. There he found the Druid of Grayland Forest -an acquaintance of his from many years back- fishing in the river. They chatted for some time, until John invited the druid to join him and his party while they feasted on the deer he had caught, and currently had slung across his shoulders. Interested in their quest, and sharing in the bounty of the hunt the Druid agreed, and the two made their way back to the party.

It is currently undecided if the Druid will join the party for any part of their adventure, as after he joined them at their camp we ended the game for the evening. However we hope to have a player character come in next game and give him some motivation. Who knows, it might just be an interesting enough time to come along for a few days.


Written by: Andrew Gregory

Allison Rey the Shepherd

The final member of the party in JADE's 2nd Ed AD&D Campaign Arachnophobia, is the shepherd Allison Rey. A constant gossiper and teller of tales, Allsion Rey volunteered to join the party out of curiosity and ended up witnessing the events involving Toby, the Spider and the prophecy.

When asked to accompany the party to the Lord in Darfield, Rey jumped at the opportunity. Despite her not having much experience with adventuring, she simply couldn't resist the story and the call to adventure. Think of the tales she could tell upon her return!

Allison Rey is currently a Fighter, but I imagine that the party will use her ability to tell stories to make some coin along their trip, and that she will likely gain a class of bard. But of course only time will tell, and a Bard may not be so useful when the giant spiders come in force.

We haven't had a huge amount of interaction with Rey since we've only had two games, and she hasn't been in every scene. But as the group moves on and gets used to each other, she will likely be featured more... At least I hope so.


Written by: Andrew Gregory