The short tunnel ended in an odd wall of wooden planks. I was preparing to crash into it when I felt a firm grip from behind. Bryseis was reaching out and bumping into my invisible body.
“Do you see anything?” I asked her telepathically.
She found a loose plank and pulled, and the entire section of wall swung open, creaking terribly.
I realized we were about to breach the tavern through this underground secret entrance without updating Halfred and T.I.M. I reached out with my mind to try and find theirs. It should’ve clued me in to be worried that I actually did sense their minds nearby – far too close.
I sent them a message that we were inside and not to do anything foolish yet. We would laugh about that later.
A massive suit of armor strode into view in front of us. It was covered head to toe in gleaming, spiked plate mail. It glowed from the inside with a magical red light. There was nobody inside.
A press copy of Warlock #1 and Warlock Lair 1 was provided for the purposes of this review.
Designed by: Wolfgang Baur, Troy E. Taylor, Ben McFarland, Richard Green, Dan Dillon, Jon Sawatsky Published by: Kobold Press
Kobold Press recently launched a Patreon campaign for a bi-monthly RPG sourcebooklet called Warlock. Warlock uses the 5E SRD to produce material that’s compatible with Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. In may ways Warlock represents Kobold Press’ return to their roots of Kobold Quarterly.
Warlock specifically dives into the lore, characters, and locations of Midgard, Kobold Press’ fantasy world and RPG campaign setting. Warlock is designed as a mini-sourcebook, though any DM could be properly inspired from the material presented here.
The first issue is small, both physically and in length, clocking in at 20 pages. It’s printed on thick card stock with black and white art. Its size belies the deep material inside, including a detailed overview of the evil land of Beldestan, a greenhouse of mutated plant life that would make Poison Ivy proud, and rules for those who venture too close to the Void.
Warlock #1 provides four separate articles, each written and designed by a different person (or collaboration) from Kobold Press’ impressive stable of RPG writers and designers. It also includes several fantastic pieces of original artwork by Gabriel Cassata, Pedro Potier, and Karl Waller. Continue reading “Tabletop Review: Warlock #1 + Warlock Lair 1”
“Monsieur Kazin.” A voice spoke with startling authority from behind us. I stiffened. Bryseis shot me a questioning glance backwards, but continued on outside the hall to follow Halfred and Diero.
I turned around to face a nobleman I didn’t recognize. I was instantly suspicious.
The man smiled thinly. “The Lady Atalia wishes she could be here.”
I stiffened, my mind a whirl. I walked up close and thrust my face into his. He didn’t so much as blink. “How the hell did you know we’d be here in Neverwinter?”
“We are in many places.”
“Who are you?”
“I represent a group you have meddled in the affairs with.”
I grinned, summoning up all the swagger I could muster. “We’re rather good at that.”
“Indeed. I come here tonight not as an enemy but as a friend. Your meddling is due to our poor choice of allies.”
“I don’t know you or your allies.”
“You’ve encountered us in Yartar. Our activities have been severely sent back, and you killed one of our number in Xantharl’s Keep.”
I steadied my voice and my gaze. “Who are you? Cut the bullshit. I could reach into your mind and pluck the information out if I wanted to.”
A voice rang out in my head, intrusive, confident. “And I could do the same” it spoke.
I tried to calm myself and remember my training, but my body shook with rage. At hearing Attalia’s name thrown out like a weapon. At this creature using the powerful psychic gifts as a force of subversive evil.
The man went on, “I would like to extend an olive branch-“
I lashed out and grabbed him. He balked at my sudden physical assault, letting me get a solid grip and drag him out of the feast hall like a child throwing a tantrum, hoping no one took much notice.
Outside the giant doors and into the large, but empty hallway I threw him to the ground. The man sprang up in a rage, his face melting into that of a Deep Scion, mouth separating into toothy quadrants, hair turning into slimy tentacles.
I focused my anger as my psi-glaive manifested in my hands. We squared off, and I saw Korinn in the corner of my eye begin hurrying over in response.
I took a deep breath and centered my thoughts on the creature. This was not the time nor the place. I planted a thought in its mind: we were no harm, and it should report that to its masters.
The creature’s form was once again enveloped into the human noble. He blinked a few times, sneered at me, then went to get his coat and leave. I took several deep breaths, and rejoined the others.
Lord Roaringhorn met us in the meeting room. The estate was swarming with richly dressed people arriving for the party.
I was impressed with the diversity. Every race in Faerun was here for the gala. They laughed, giggled, and smiled while people around the world suffered from the Giants. I reminded myself we were here for a good cause.
“This way my friends, this way!” Lord Roaringhorn waved his arms as if to sweep us up. We looked at each other awkwardly. Korinn and Bryseis wore beautiful, expensive dresses. The Dragonborn’s dress looked ready to burst from her muscular physique.
The rest of us remained in our armor, robes, and leathers. These days we always expected the worst.
We heard the sounds of voices and music as we approached the large doors to the feasting hall. Lord Roaringhorn threw them open with a flourish, and all eyes of the Neverwinter nobility turned toward us.
“They’re here,” Halfred said, after snapping out of his trance-like state. I’d seen him do this countless times, but it still creeped me out to watch his eyes glaze over as his senses projected outward several miles. “Just over this ridge.”
We’d come to a large rock wall nestled among the Nether Mountains. We had been tracking the Giants for the better part of the day, and knew they weren’t moving.
Korinn cast Invisibility on Halfred, who immediately took to the air on his new Winged Boots.
We calmly waited as best we could, not daring to speak with enemies so close. We began hearing hammers and picks on the other side of the rocks.
A sudden whispering voice nearly made me fall off my horse, until I realized Halfred had returned.
“A pair of them, armored giants,” Halfred reported. “They’re looking over a gang of goblins who are digging. A Hobgoblin is keeping them in line with a whip. There was also a fiery dog looking on.”
My heart sank; that was more than just the giants. But we still had the element of surprise, and time to prepare. We began drinking potions and quietly casting spells while Halfred kept watch. We formed a plan, and let Halfred take point.
T.I.M. and I crept toward the crude path that ran to the pit, and I got my first glimpse of the giant creatures. Skin the color of ash and metal, hair the color of fire, they towered 15 feet tall, carrying swords nearly as big. T.I.M. stood rigid while I calmed my racing mind and waited for the signal.
I expected the signal to be an arrow, but the damn halfling has no fear when it comes to hunting Giants. Halfred appeared in a sudden flash of whirling steel, striking the nearest Fire Giant directly in the eyes while hovering in front of its face.
Storm King’s Thunder Session 22 on Sunday, September 24
For the second week in a row we need to shuffle our schedule around a bit to fit various vacations and business trips. Even then one of us will be calling in from a hotel when we go live on Sunday evening!
Start time as always remains the same (somewhere between 7/10pm Pacific/Eastern and 7:30/10:30p) on my YouTube channel.
A press copy of Prepared 2 was provided for the purposes of this review.
Designed by: Jon Sawatsky Published by: Kobold Press
Kobold Press’ Prepared 2: A Dozen One-Shot Adventures for 5th Edition is the follow up to last year’s Prepared: A Dozen Adventures for 5th Edition. Its premise is simple: to provide several encounters of varying levels and styles that a Game Master can slot into his or her campaign.
Not only are the encounters more interesting this time around, but the book contains some welcome organization features, role-playing notes, and virtual tabletop friendly maps to help a GM successfully run these events and mini-dungeons.
