Dicey Stories

The Estbryn Forest council decides Kachen’s fate. Scene 2 Scene 3 GM Notes I really enjoy the social components of the Genesys system. I like learning characters’ motivations and leaning on them when I can. I like the way social combat helps flesh out an exchange and gives players an opportunity to both gain and lose ground simultaneously. I was excited to have the chance to try out this different...

Tric and Heppa take a stab at defending Kachen before High Lord Volas and the council. Scene 1 GM Notes This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Northern Rebirth. This arc uses a Genesys supplement called I Declare! Adjudicated Social Encounters for Genesys by Micah-Shalom “FatCrab” Kesselman. I do my best to explain its mechanics to my players at the st...

Heppa and Tric continue their fighting retreat as the undead menace approaches the population center of Estbryn Forest. Scene 19 Scene 20 GM Notes In this arc, we see a few new units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. The Revenant is one of those units. The Wolves , too. In the video game’s campaign Secrets of the Ancients, you can raise Wolves into Walking Corpses, so that was what inspired...

The Battle for Estbryn Forest begins with a skirmish between elves and undead in a wooded gully. Scene 17 Scene 18 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to th...

The elves of Estbryn Forest prepare to face a new threat. Scene 14 Scene 15 Scene 16 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Heppa and Tric deal with the crisis caused by Fenowin’s rash response to Kachen. Scene 10 Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 GM Notes Damal’s treatise on the four elements was inspired by a thread on Dunefolk Lore that I read on the Battle for Wesnoth forums here . The part that particularly caught my attention was this: Four elemental forces each bleed through into the material plane. The Sun bleeds thro...

Kachen’s first evening in Estbryn Forest passes uneventfully, but the following morning there are some problems. Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Ne...

Tric escorts Kachen to meet with Thrandolil, who has been conducting research with Heppa. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to the...

As spring advances, Heppa gets some advice from older elves about romancing humans while Tric works the Estbryn Forest border patrol. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 GM Notes This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Northern Rebirth. Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth...

Tric spends time growing closer to his father and his bird, while Heppa works on her relationships with her sister and Alric. Scene 11 Scene 12 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.o...

The elves search Estbryn Forest for the missing necromancer’s staff. Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to the start of the series...

Tric and Heppa find someone willing to talk to them about Anador. Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Tric and Heppa settle back in with their families in Estbryn Forest. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 GM Notes This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion. Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Batt...

Tric and Heppa fend off the skeletons uncovered by Ulf’s excavation. Scene 16 Scene 17 Scene 18 GM Notes As usual, I used some Battle for Wesnoth units as inspiration for this arc. You heard us talking about liches that have four arms. That is based on the artwork for the Ancient Lich unit. Sir Marthynec and his fellow knights were guarded by Revenants . In the caverns, our heroes are attacked by...

Tric and Heppa look for artifacts in the cave system below South Tower. Scene 14 Scene 15 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Before leaving South Tower, Heppa and Tric visit Damal’s apothecary shop. Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 GM Notes I love it when players produce extra material for the game, like writing songs, drawing sketches, or even just doing research on their character’s interests. These sorts of things extend way beyond just learning the rules of the game and spending XP. I find this so rewarding, as it shows t...

Heppa and Alric go on a date. Tric and Heledd most certainly do not. Scene 6 Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 GM Notes I did a fair bit of research in preparation for the date in this episode. Since Heppa had shown interest in herbalism, alchemy, and alcohol, I decided to combine them. If this is the sort of thing you’re interested in as well, I recommend the following book by Amy Steward: The Dru...

After the closing ceremony of the Full Bloom Festival, Heppa and Tric get in some weapons practice and then go birding. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5 GM Notes If you’re interested in learning more about the style of draw Mhaev uses with her composite bow (the thumb draw rather than the three-fingered draw), then check out this video by NUSensei: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK82xdoFAq...

The victory over the Rats has some unanticipated emotional repercussions for Heppa. Scene 27 Scene 28 Scene 29 Scene 30 Scene 31 GM Notes I didn’t anticipate Alric becoming a romantic interest for Heppa. When I introduced him to the storyline, my goal was to provide Tric with a different perspective on the Manu, a younger, less jaded one than some of the others. As well as to provide Heppa with a...

Imogen and Lilly narrowly escape and make one last report. Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 Note: This marks the end of our StarCraft campaign! Lilly goes on to be a real member of Raynor’s Raiders, helping Jimmy more directly with reconnaissance and combat operations in the fight against Mengsk. As for Imogen, well, once things are more settled, she opens a school for psionic children to learn techniques...

As rain sets in, a mysterious falcon joins Heppa and Tric in their fight with the Rats. Scene 26 GM Notes Once again, units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game were an inspiration for elements of this arc. The Cuttlefish has an ink attack with the poison quality. Lady Sabine is an Arch Mage . Sleidr is a Thief , and the male portrait of that inspired his look. The fight had many units from both...

Down on Dead Man’s Rock, Imogen and Lilly arrange to send not one, but two crucial messages to ensure the sector’s future. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Need context? Jump to the start of the series! Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

With help from the town guard, Tric and Heppa launch their ambush against Sleidr and the Rats. Scene 24 Scene 25 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org . Need context? Jump to the...

Saffron makes a pit stop at Hyperion before going after the Xel’naga artifact. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Need context? Jump to the start of the series! Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Tric makes plans to strike back at Sleidr and the Rats while Heppa immerses herself in more magic theory and medicine. Scene 19 Scene 20 Scene 21 Scene 22 Scene 23 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here . Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 , part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Vis...