Scarabs

Dungeon World Campaigns Is Finally Finished, yeeeeey!!!!!

The Clean Up Crew in Dungeon World:

In many Underdeep complexes throughout the known (and sometimes unknown) worlds of fantasy, there are some usually parasitical monsters who are part of what are affectionately known as `clean up crew`. These wandering monster types move through a complex, eating anything they find on their travel through the tunnels.

 Actually, they are essential to the ecology of a clean dungeon!

 These scavengers move and slither through the endless miles of tunnels in a ceaseless drive to fill their stomachs; in fact they exist simply to feed and to breed in a nonstop, endless cycle of self perpetuation.

 They are usually encountered as Wandering Monsters. Many of these creatures are nothing more than a semi dangerous nuisance; but some are indeed extremely dangerous and hazardous to encounter - especially if found in groups.

 For the Draken Master, this form of Wandering Monster might be looked upon as the dungeon cleaners. Without their existence, the dungeons would be a lot dirtier and certainly a heck of a lot smellier.

 A few of the monstrosities which comprise the clean up crew are: 

Gelatinous Blob

Evil Trapper

Floating Roof Monster

Floating Squid

The Gelatinous Blob is really nothing more than a stomach which slithers and slides through the dungeon tunnel complex, often filling out to fit the dimensions of the walls, scraping clean and digesting anything it makes contact with. It is said there are few things in the world the Blob cannot eat, given enough time for its digestive acids to get to work.

The Trapper is an evil entity. Only semi sentient, yet possessing enough reason to position itself in prime position (alone or in groups) where it can detect nearby movement... at the last minute  lashing out with its long sticky tentacles, ensnaring a victim and pulling it into its ravenous maw.

Floating Squids normally roam the dungeon in small groups. When they encounter living (or recently dead) matter, they phychically suck its energy to a dry husk, leaving little left but a pile of dust. Its simple throat and small red mouth makes a shrill keening sound when threatened or a food source is close.

Floating Roof Monsters hide on the roof of tunnels and chambers, waiting until an enemy is beneath them, at which point they drop onto the unsuspecting victim and attempt to devour it alive. This squid like creature rests (sometimes for great lengths of time) in a tough rubbery sack which is attached by a cord and which the `thing` drags along behind it when in motion. The creatures have occasionally been seen without this added baggage. Experts have speculated a possible gradual evolution is taking place.
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*sighhhhs* Now to take a break.... a busman`s holiday finally to finish off painting the rest of my monsters.... hundreds down, only hundreds more to do.

Let The Games Begin!!!

You Shall Not pass!!!

Making My Own Dungeon Table To Use Alongside The Pendraken Dungeon Tiles

The Pendraken Miniatures resin Dungeon Tiles are a Godsend to the 10mm gamer wishing to pursue role playing in this wonderfully petite game scale. But sometimes... just sometimes, the dreary monotony of miles and miles of endless tunnels, passages and chambers gets a little same-y (I guess if these fantasy worlds really existed, there would be a syndrome for this kind of mind numbing claustrophobia "Tunnel Phobia... Underworld Fatigue" or some such medical condition - hmmm now there`s an idea)  :-\

 Sooo, for a change of pace, I set about creating my own single piece large dungeon tile. I used a small table my had daughter made at school in woodwork (ideal or my purposes), and I got a willing volunteer... my lovely partner Paula...  to do the donkey work and lay hundreds of little mosaic tiles (purchased from the local craft shop) in neat lines upon the table top, with nice evenly spaced gaps between each tile - carefully drawn out before hand.

 When the tiles were set, she went about undercoating in black. At this stage I nobly stepped in and did the HARD work *wink* and white spray painted over the black to give the board a dry brush dungeon grey effect. I then spray varnished over the whole thing and BINGO!!!! I had me a nice large flat dungeon area upon which I could happily play my games. A nice change of pace from the dungeons; and/or it works perfectly alongside the normal Pendraken dungeons as well.

                                               Paula starts on my table... thanks sweetie.

Patience

... Not Always My Most Developed Virtue

Lines Upon Lines

She`s getting There

Ooo... More Lines Of Tiles. Ain`t It Pretty :-)

Aaaah, More Like It!

Varnished

Drying Nicely

Open... OPEN!!

Not Bad... Even If I do Say So Myself!!!

Can use the board in any rpg game, like a D&D mat to place your figures on to describe the action taking place... or to use as a large Dungeon World chamber in it`s own right. 

Not finished yet, could go on for ever improving it. But anyway, you get the general idea.

The party looked down into the vast chamber below, and eyed the scene before them with critical eyes.

"Well how the hell are we supposed to get through that lot. There must be a dozen of those things moving about down there?" Drover Warsong stated anxiously.

Below where the four fearful companions perched looking into the chamber, many foul oozing Slimes slithered hither and thither among the remains of the last party of unfortunate victims who had NOT successfully made it  across the open ground... to the portal on the far side! Patches of blood and gore seeped into the cracks in the stones and gathered in macabre pools of rapidly drying crimson.

Yentala The Thief looked around frantically, using her keen eyes to search out the edges of the chamber for a safe passage through the large expanse, to the stone carved door on the far side. But all she could see was a group of hungry Giant Rats lapping at the gore and nibbling on the last remains of the previous adventuring party.

"No use for it, we HAVE to go through the Slimes. Our quest lies beyond those far doors!" Bjorn The Bold announced in an agitated tone.

"Don`t they spit acid?" Mikus The Mage enquired with a slight quiver in his voice.

The Battle (of Cley Fields)

The 1st Company of  Foote, under the command of Sir Stephen Gilbert (currently led by Lieutanant Wesley Winthorpe) rushed to set up defensive positions along the dry stone walls near Cley`s South Field Farm. The excited anticipation for the fast approaching battle caused the men to chatter and spark as adrenalin and nervous energy coursed through the veins of each man present.

Soon, the chorus of voices fell silent, as each prayed to his God for victory and personal safety throughout the coming endeavours.

The sergeants licked their lips and prepared their rnen as best they could....  for the enemy they faced was not an undisciplined rabble. This would not be like quelling unruley street rabble or policing the streets of Norwich at times of civil unrest; they were facing battle hardened Orc and Hobgoblin warriors - fat from the spoils of their recent raiding antics... who knew far more about the art of war than any of the assembled soldiers could possibly comprehend at this stage in their training. This would be a hard testing time for the 1st Company of Sir Stephen`s 1st Regiment of Foote.

The Cannon has a commanding view of the open ground between the village and the woodlands beyond.... good! The Orcs and Hobs had delayed their attack long enough for the soldiers to set up an adequate line of defense along the walls.

With a howl of embittered hatred, the enemy began their long charge towards the soldiers.

The cannon roars loudly, and the battle is underway. Muskets take aim... and fire a few well aimed volleys into the fast approaching enemy.

A few hobgoblins fall screaming to the ground, but they rush forward unperturbed... a small unit of Hobs on the far let flank let fly a few volleys of arrows in return, and a couple of soldiers fall gurgling to the ground... clutching wicked barbed shafts which protrude from their bodies with deadly fatality.

With  a snarl of haterd, the Hobgoblins reach the wall, and close combat ensues. Behind this first wave - a second line of Orcs waits impatiently to get to grips with their loathed enemy.

The fight is firece and terrible - neither side gaining a clear advantage over the other. The dry stone wall proves difficult for the Hobs to cross, and cold steel and raw courage from the soldiers proves a stiff challenge even for this veteran horde to overcome.

The small reserve line of soldiers is thrown into the fight to stiffen their resolve.

Eventually, the casualty toll begins to tell on the Hobs, and (after failing a morale check to see whether they can sustain the attack) eventually they are forced to retire some paces from the wall , but still in fairly good order.

The dead litter the ground; and the wounded on both side of the wall lay prone and bleeding, many are groaning upon the blood soaked grass.

The Orcs grip their weapons firmly and with a huge battle roar - they charge the soldiers still valiantly defending the walls.

(In a decisive morale check, the soldiers roll a Perfect success.. their courage and resolve stiffened by their leaders... while the Orcs roll a Fail and find themselves retiring from the wall  just as the Hobs had done only minutes earlier).

A ragged cheer goes up from the soldiers defending the wall.

The cannon is rolled up to the wall, and prepares to fire at the enemy - at short range.

The result of the ensuing cannon fire has a devistating affect on the Hobs....

.. and they turn and rout back to the woods.

The Orcs reluctantly retire, hard on the heels of their lesser hearted cousins.

From the edge of the trees, a large, very nasty looking Hobgoblin cheiftain roars a defiant curse upon the heads of the soldiers still defending the village... and then he vanishes into the undergrowth like a ghost.

The evening fades and turns to night.... victory falls to the 1st Company of 1st Regiment of the Foote.