Yesterday we finally finished my Savage Worlds adaptation of Simon Forster’s Mischievous Monsters, having started two months ago (the problems of busy gamers!). I can link to the author now as my players can’t benefit from reading the original, not that they would anyway (would they?).
Although I still feel that I’ve a long way to go as a GM, I left the table feeling quite satisfied yesterday as I felt that I’d achieved one of the goals that I’d set myself, that each of the PCs should have something essential to contribute to the resolution of the adventure. We started with the PCs returning to the Inn from the Westwood to find everyone but the merchant gone. After my son’s character posed the indelicate question regarding why Lady Caitlin’s older sister had been confined to a convent I encouraged the players to reveal to each other some of the things that they know separately* and was rewarded to see some pennies dropping.
From R to L Elowyn, Nab'han, Lady Caitlin, Kelun the druid and Sir Elathan
*We have a group with mixed history – 4 players who have been with us since the beginning in Albion and two newer players, whose characters are from Cornumbria according to the Dragon Warriors’ “Legend” setting. The sister of one of the new players was disgraced by a villain whom the others had defeated but then escaped for example. Also the party had just intercepted a coded message referring to an NPC group whom the ‘old’ players had encountered way back, meaning that they had to explain who this faction was and why they might be relevant.
After all had settled down to bed (leaving a watch of course), they were roused in the middle of the night by unsettled horses. They were reacting to the arrival of three Brethrin (see below for SW stats). Kelun, Nah’ban and Elathan quickly grabbed their weapons to go outside, only to encounter one of the 7′ high monstrosities headed for the inn’s door. Kelun immobilised him with Entangle, allowing Elathan to lop his head off with a single blow.
Meanwhile in the stables the party’s Extras, a squad of six experienced warriors from Dun Falas, were contending with another two of the creatures. After rolling 32 points of damage with a mundane sword (new record for our group) and still failing to cause any damage the six Huws went on the defensive, unfortunately too late for Huw the Poet who was devoured in one gulp.
The party managed to dispatch the remaining Brethrin without further deaths, though both Elathan and Nab’han ended up with two wounds damage a piece. One of the Brethrin fell to Lady Caitlin’s magic arrow, the other to Isembard’s trusty sword. The players were then encouraged to track down the source of these Unseelie fairies, which they duly did.
Finding the clearing where the Fir Darrig had been calling the Brethrin through, Kelun was able to destroy the summoning stone using his Arcane Talent in a Dramatic Task fashion after intimidating the Fae creatures.
On the return to the inn, Isembard and Elowyn decided to take off on their own and investigate the last Fir Darrig track heading eastwards to a cave. There they managed to elude all of the traps and catch one of the wee folk left there after a brief chase using the new SWD chase rules. They also managed to locate some of the Fir Darrigs’ stash of stolen goods. Thus all of the loose ends have been tied up.
Summary of Special Actions:
As I mentioned briefly above, one of my GM goals that I’ve recently adopted is to include in each adventure something which makes each player feel that their character contributed significantly to the outcome of the adventure. Whilst this won’t always be possible as I can’t control the outcome of the dice, yesterday it did – partly by design, partly down to luck. Definitely something I can keep up.
- Elathan (knight) – beheaded first Brethrin
- Kelun (druid) – entangled Brethrin, broke portal
- Caitlin (princess) – killed second Brethrin
- Elowyn (mystic) – healed Elathan and Nab’han, instrumental in capture of a Fir Darrig
- Isembard (dwarven fighter) – killed third Brethrin
- Nab’han (assassin) – snuck around; both in the inn and at the northern grove
Monsters
I’ve used Simon Forster’s descriptions of the monsters here italicised, for which I hope he’ll forgive me. I’ve included my Savage stats based on his description, with a few own interpretations:
Fir Darrig
These small fairies are as large as a young child (2’ tall), resembling rat-like humanoids dressed in ill-fitting frock coats and flat caps. Their leaders tend to wear better clothes and top hats, often worn and battered. They delight in mischief, practical jokes, and laying traps. They have a cruel and wicked sense of humour, love to cause chaos, and especially enjoy harassing Clerics and other Lawful types.
Generally, the Fir Darrig do not seek to kill their victims; after all, where would be the fun in that? What they will do is cause harm, be it physical, mental or emotional (ideally, all three); but they are more than happy to let others kill for them, so long as it is entertaining and their traps and jokes are the preludes.
They are poor fighters, but will defend themselves and their kin, and if cornered and their lives are threatened they will do whatever they have to in order to survive, including killing.
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Notice d8, Stealth d12, Taunt d8, Throwing d8
Pace: 8 (Fleet-footed, d10 running); Parry: 6; Toughness: 5
Hindrances & Edges: Curious; Arcane Resistance, Quick (re-draw initiative if card is 5 or less)
Gear: Dagger Str+d4
Special Abilities:
- Size -2
- Small: Opponents take a -2 to all attack rolls.
- Invulnerable to non-magical, non-cold iron, non-silver weapons
Ratkin (Fir Darrig leader, Wild Card)
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d12, Taunt d8, Throwing d8
Pace: 8 (Fleet-footed, d10 running); Parry: 7; Toughness: 6
Hindrances & Edges: Curious; Arcane Resistance, Quick (re-draw initiative if card is 5 or less)
Gear: Dagger Str+d4
Special Abilities:
- Size -1
- Small: Opponents take a -2 to all attack rolls.
- Invulnerable to non-magical, non-cold iron, non-silver weapons
The Brethren
These large fairies are insatiable, filled with a hunger for mortal flesh and blood. They kill and eat any mortals, be it human or demi-human, or animal. They look like fat humanoid toads, with thick warty hides and huge saucer-like eyes that colour of blood. Their mouths are wide and full of tearing teeth. The brethren dress in monkish robes, often a dark green or deep brown. Despite their bulk and size (7’ tall, over 300 lbs) they are nimble creatures.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d4,
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7(2 point rubbery flesh)
Hindrances & Edges: Greedy; Arcane Resistance
Special Abilities:
- Brawler Strength +2 damage
- Invulnerable to non-magical, non-cold iron, non-silver weapons
- Fear (make a successful Spirit check or consult Fear table SWD p. 85)
- Size +2
- Engulf: While engulfed, the target is grappled as per the core rulebook with a –4 penalty to Strength rolls to escape and suffers 2d6 damage per round from digestive juices. Armor offers no protection. Engulfed characters must make a successful Vigor check each round to survive.
- Tongue: Reach 1. The tongue is coated in sticky saliva. If the toad scores a success on its Fighting roll, it has grappled its prey. On a raise, the victim is grappled and Engulfed on its next action.
- Grappling: Opposed Fighting roll to grapple. Raise=opponent Shaken; Defender makes opposed Strength or Agility to break free (any other action made at –4); Attacker can make opposed Str or Agility to cause damage
Brawlers (random NPCs in the inn, with whom the PCs could have scrapped – the Saturday Night Crowd if you will)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d4, Taunt d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7
Hindrances & Edges: Arrogant; Brawler (+2 damage with fists), Brawny
Gear: Dagger Str+d4
Special Abilities:
- Improvisational Fighter
The Creature Born of Chaos
This malignant creature was born from chaos and was trapped on the mortal realm. It lives a tormented existence in the cave in the well, venturing out at night to feed on small animals and anything larger that comes its way. It is humanoid in shape, featureless, made of thick black sludge with bits of bone sticking out in odd places. It oozes it way across the ground, but climbs exceedingly well.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Notice d8, Stealth d12, Taunt d8, Throwing d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6 (1 – tough hide)
Hindrances & Edges: Curious; Arcane Resistance, Quick (re-draw initiative if card is 5 or less)
Special Abilities:
- Claw Str+d4
- Poisonous Touch The creature’s touch turns living flesh to a black sludge: if the victim is shaken or wounded and a Vigor check is failed, the character takes 2d6 damage and receives the Ugly hindrance until healed.
- Invulnerable to non-magical, non-cold iron, non-silver weapons
- Wall Walker
- Arcane Resistance (acts as if he had 2 points of Armor when hit by damage-causing arcane powers, and adds +2 to his Trait rolls when resisting opposed powers)
The turning point was a TV series that we started watching as a family two years ago. The kids (and wife) were glued to the box every Saturday to watch the BBC’s excellent Merlin series. Once they were obviously hooked, I tabled the idea of playing through our own adventures. I wrote up a couple of characters that I thought the kids would be able to identify with – a young knight and his magically gifted twin sister (as they are – without the magic bit). I constructed a simple scenario with the old Dragon Warriors rules that I’d bought years ago and never really played through, and we had a great afternoon.
Savage Legend 
