EMO ZIne 13 Grows Up

My Patreon has for the last year has done a 12-page-ish digest zine of new adventures and campaign material and a 3 fold flyer adventure each month and some drafts of works in production for upper tiers. 

As of 13 the format is changing to A4 and is currently over 100 pages and will drop soon. The new format will be compiling past tables by theme. The current work features my Auldwood setting. The next will be Exilon. In part these comps will be used to finish off larger works. I will probably stop writing adventures for a but will include some lairs in future and hope to finish off some volumes of 3-fold adventures.

I do appreciate feedback and requests as ever and haven't had much comments on anything I've done in 6 weeks. Comments help me keep motivated and I like having inspirational reports on how my work is used. The more feedback I get the more stuff I make. Patreon support is wonderful but Feedback is more useful. About 10% of my Patreons use polls which is something.

I may well be starting to play some BX dnd or a clone as I wind up my cosmonauts. Me regular D&D game is struggling to make meetups happen but it is that time of year when this gets worse.

I tried and failed to get a LuLu book up and printable. Which is sad as I worked and did this for 3 newspapers.

Hope you all had a horror-filled Halloween of fun.

d12 Mysterious Alien Pots

Phew! At last!
Next time you need an alien pot in a game try these!
May the stars bless you all

Above are some of the pots I found on my last expedition to Isla Anura to the ruins of the Anuran empire who had advanced technology 3 trillion years ago and so they have very nice pottery.

d12 Alien Pots
1 Seems rigid but if touched is slimy and cold at first but its just some kind of illusion only noticed by living creatures touching it. Sometimes it seems to move as if breathing or making squishy noises and technological tests see no sign of these hauntings

2 Hideous alien face features with chilling eyes. After serving it even briefly find the face that appears in their dreams. Some who repeat the experience come to believe the face is trying to communicate through them and may have other strange "new" ideas and desires

3 The pot has been broken but repaired with some golden material in places. The object cracks are complex patterns and seem to be different with each new examination. Someone dropped it once and shattered it and apparently, the pot reassembled and lept back on its plinth. The pot has survived several disasters and is extremely old  

4 A textured undulating surface pattern when examined seems to change and has odd touch sensations. It is believed to be some kind of training device for mental powers and the more it is handled and studied the more you can manifest strange sensations 

5 This cylindrical container if filled with water and then touched with any hard object produces extraordinary sounds and some will want to try and learn to play it as if uncovering some lost language

6 A strange cluster of spheres with various metallic sheens. When studied and handled the handler gets the impression of being watched. As the object is handled more the sensation changes to that of being watched by two mirror-image entities that somehow seek to come closer and closer to meet at the point of the pot somehow. Some feel observing and handling it they may come to understand these beings 

7 This pot has strange interlocking shapes that seem to hurt your brain trying to follow them and attempts to copy with photos or drawings seem inconsistent (light seems to fall on it differently from moment to moment). A blind person examining the relic reported they had the sensation of being able to manipulate the knotwork designs

8 Pot depicts powerful beings with a variety of strange beings with star patterns. Handling the pot people seem to wildly speculate and make wild mostly untrue connections. A number of those who studied it lost their credibility as they made more wild claims and devolved into cultic obscurity. The object has incongruent results from various means of study and analysis which sews more debates

9 A spectacular beautiful simple shaped pot not quite symmetrical and organic almost like a mantid egg case. People handling it become convinced it ought to be publicly admired and shown as many as possible. Many will seize on its uniqueness and will feel the object is of personal great significance. Eventually, someone will propose some live spectacle and performance with a huge crowd  
10 A cube-shaped vessel with fine line patterns and an open circle on top and dark inside. Some looking at it had the momentary sensation of being able to see more sides than three at once. The intricate patterns and brilliant metallic glaze reflect the face of the wearer in strange ways. It seems heavier than it should and if filled with water it seems lighter
11 Intricate shell-like crinkled surface of this vessel catches in breeze and makes strange whispy sounds. Somehow coated in a layer of calcite indicating a great age and found in a cave on a rock plinth. A few experimented with this effect and one heard voices that would not stop even days later and killed themselves. The object was kept away not to be opened from its vault by anyone alone. Has two locks that must be opened at the same time and is soundproof

12 This squat tentacled six-eyed malevolent being face-shaped pot was found in the sea and not belonging to any known style by secret societies of pot collectors. Those who study this will begin to have strange dreams of an undersea being of darkness. The dreams become more intense and visions include the being plunging from star to star. Over time those studying the pot had more wild dreams and several tried to steal the pot to return it to the sea. Strange cult tried to snatch it once and several guards managed to kill them all 

Weekend Games - Kosmosaurs and Ziggurats

Finally finished module party stuck in for months due to meetup troubles for 3 months and of course characters were trapped together so no sandbox sidequests like I normally do and have been playing Horror on the Hill B series module and some of my stuff on side.

Also playing Kosmosaurs but will look for something else next. It has been fun but I possibly have urge to tweak it. As 3rd session players have got quite a bit better at using abilities and stacking dice. I think Id rather people get a new skill vs the things you are good at as the skills seem much more specific and more plausible to learn. What your good at to me could be sports or science while skills would be more specific. Possibly it is just my take. Possibly I will do something like every extra defence roll you make in a round you lose another dice - it makes targeting ppl with teamwork vs tough ppl work better plus lots of near meiis FX do that already. Once someone has lost a stat point things go down hill fast. Todays adventure was more planning, travelling,and investigating with less pressure and action than I managed to bring to bear the previous two games. Players gaining a few extra d6 seem to throw combat out of wack. I guess lots of GMing is really risk management. Will do at least one more game and possibly find some other family friendly game. If I use my stuff I will probably be too dark for juves.

EMO homebrew D&D Exilon Campaign
As we were together had to check through the module for exactly the party location and work out what treasures and clues we had after months apart. Manages to get moving and avoid several combats, Trapped in the ziggurat they had to overcome lots of beautiful ancient decor dungeon chambers and creatures and gain quite a few impressive items of royal regalia. Was a moment when a player wanted to save vs his own stupidity at wanting to ice storm the most beautiful bejewelled tree of the gods just to get some vermin. As you go up the dungeon certain choices and opportunities can be closed. They avoided one locations and missed one of the sacred regalia ranking them a B grade success. They had to battle some divine petty gods with metallic skin and hair and were rewarded with a fortune if treasure.Their semisuccess meant the kingdom would do well and prosper in war. The local millitary got exited.

The module over (Sacred Temple of Erwadu - players all rated highly), time for my Exilon campaign to kick in. So they were sent to the ziggurat under oath a character received healing and was willing to owe a quest. So from that they were all locked in the dungeon. They also got to meet lots of kings on the way as it was a big deal every 40 years or so occasion. When they got out they were heroes and 9th-10th level and ready to rock estates and land. The King of Ikathin granted them all lands and they swore oaths to him and most of the party was pretty pro-Enki now. The king also said he would like to send a ship over the horizon to visit Enki's magic island. The wizard character had a tower built opposite the river of her Amazonian home city.The draconic shape shifter and earth spirit found a good estate on the border with the sun kingdom more central to the free city league centre and his snakey homeland. The barbarian was granted land near the Tyranean border a progressive one barbarian power united and mostly an ally. The king also wanted him to build the template for a propper chariot corp for the kingdom no the ox battlewagons they were still using. The guest party cleric got to be in charge of a larger temple in a city. The guest party cleric got to be in charge of a larger temple in a city. The guest party cleric got to be in charge of a larger temple in a city. 

Plans were made, land was allotted and 25 settlers were provided. The wizard had been learning lots of new spells and teleported everyone back to their starting village to check on their family and business at home. The wizard did more teleporting to the various royal palaces they had visited and stayed atover recent times. As the kingdom elites wondered who they could fight to benefit from being blessed in war, news came the fall great death templar city that had stood since humans re-invented thousands of years ago. This means instead of yearly fighting undead legions their is now a border contiguous with more barbarians and the Arcane Empire where elemental wizards are prominent. So quickly The king of mighty Ikathon renewed all his allegiances with the free city-states, the amazons, the Sythron hordes and the Tyraneam league. So war has broken out and the players will be expected to get lots of expensive new clothes and build their mansions. 

Was possible in adventure for city to be destroyed or ruined and for players to kill each one to be king (my first order would be to get my buddies raised from the dead). Could run adventure again with later era campaign as the adventure has options of running it as a monster-filled ruin and less of a mythical test-quest.

Kosmosaurs
Called to help a noble who claimed a diplomat had stolen an enigmatic elder alien starcore and needed it back at all costs. Party were fairly interested in possibly the relic being to dangerous for anyone. Had to bring along a galactic pen pusher to process all the antiquities filings over such a relic, When arrived heard a mayday to find local space cop hopper crew shooting at a station. Team kosmosaur drove them off and helped the people and improved their life support, medical facilities and force field. The local authorities were not too thrilled. Finally met the noble on the industrial volcano planet and became more suspicious especially the bit about don't believe the ex-diplomat he has mind control powers so gag him. Party found some evidence and met black market and local rebels. Turns out the system rebels and planet rebels had a split. Party managed to uncover evidence this split was engineered and crime and some rebels were infiltrated and being played by the state, Turns out an oppressive regime with mind control for dissidents needed rebels to justify everything crap they did.

So they made a deal to get the diplomat and relic and made plans with law t pretend to fight if need be to help them be convincing. Players managed to reunite the rebel factions with the power of friendship and kosmosaur neutrality. Filled out some forms to clear possible overthrow of despotic state,

Turned out the rebels had an ancient battlemoon powered by the relic and they were gonna destroy the evil fleet and rulers and then spread the revolution. Kosmosuars managed to take over the moon, threaten the rusty old war fleet then dropped to planet to arrest the tyrant. Took out his engine with the pterodactyls smart bomb. As party battled killbots one kosmosaur (duck billed ex gardner) silently followed the leader into his escape craft to confront him and used his smart trowel to beat the boss with a light sword. The kosmosaurs did a switcheroo on the starcore with a fake and threw it in the sun on the way back to base. Only had a few days filing forms as the celestial bureaucrat was satisfied at their compliance in this subplot complication.

The Kosmosuars were commended and got an increase in their budget the next galactic summit

d100 Woodland Paths of Auldwood

So when in the woods on the main roads and trails or even in wilderness you may find some of there paths. Some require a track spot rolls to find these secrets. A skilled such person can follow most paths an hour per roll. Unskilled make a roll every ten minute turn. A tracker will be able to tell what species use the path via escrement, campsites, fur or scales and other left clues.

d10 Quick Types
1 Animal Trails

2 Wood Folk Trails

3 Humanoid Trails

4 Demihumanoids Trails

5 Monster Trails

6 Sylvan & Faerie Trails

7 Faerie & Spirit Trails

8 Chaos Trails

9 Haunted Trails

10 Auldwood God Trails

d100 Woodland Paths of Auldwood
01 Deer Path - deer run this path between clearings and waterways

02 Wolf Track - where nightly a wolf pack has run for generations to water and hunting areas

03 Bear Path - several local bears follow this between caves, fishing streams, berry patches and beehives

04 Elk Track - lords of the wood these huge horned beasts can be aggressive when they have children or are startled

05 Cattle Track - where a herd of smallish wild cattle with several bulls protecting the herd

06 Goat Track - where herds of goats go from their cliff shelter to pastures daily, often will flee over rough rocky terrain other animals can't match them on for speed. A few billy goats will get stroppy if the herd chased

07 Bird Tracks - where various breeds of terror birds roam the woods hunting for prey. When they gallop on the tracks they often screech to stir up the game

08 Ape Tracks - where carnivorous apes travel seasonally seeking various foods

09 Lion Track - where several lions come down from their cave lairs to their hunting grounds

10 Auroc Path - where these giant wild cattle travel seasonally and will cooperate and surround to kill anything they think is a threat 
11 Trappers Path where fur trappers use to reach deep woods. Often find traps in area for small furry animals

12 Hunters Trail - intersects with various animal trails used by hunters to locate certain game animals in various seasons

13 Rangers Path - where scouts in service to the kingdom feel out frontier territories for trouble and foreign influence or monster threats

14 Woodcutters Path - neat path where logs have been dragged through and later persons gathered sticks and wood and connects areas with dead and damaged trees. Wood cutters usually leave tokens at shrines for forest folk and spirits to appease them

15 Bandits Trail - between various hideouts, caves, campsites and good roads to ambush travellers

16 Rebels Trail - survivors of a failed dynasty have become a group of rebels mostly acting like bandits and making revenge on the current local nobility

17 Wardens Path - where the noble's forest wardens travel while patrolling for poachers and bandits

18 Poachers Path - where various poachers enter the woodlands seeking a game that by law belongs to nobility. Some lead to secret campsites and caves and to premium animal locations

19 Bards Trail - sacred song trail of the druidic bard orders which bards travel on singing until they have a strange encounter test them. Some wisdom or boon is given for an oath

20 Druids way - where druids travel on the way to sacred stones and pools and hilltops and trees, some have complex patterns and are hard to follow and may have magical guardians

21 Goblin Trails - path through thorn hedges and bramble mazes leads to goblin caves and hidden villages. With giant mushrooms and bugs being common

22 Hobgoblin Path - cut through earth path with trenches and tunnels anslo usable as a defence line with some hidden barracks and supplies

23 Bugbear Trail - marked with shrunken heads and frightening dolls, bugbears enjoy hunting those who come here and scaring them as much as possible before taking their heads

24 Orc Path - stomped by hobnail boots over centuries with scraps of bones and other rubbish on paths and in many campsites. Human or animal skulls are sometimes arranged as markers

25 Troll Trail - mossy shaded path with various troll holes for them to hide from the sun. Many holes will have buried troll treasure but its always a risk robbing them

26 Ogre Path - wide trampled path with vegetation cut through and broken. Ogre camps have cracked bone fragments and stink of ogre dung

27 Hill Giant Path - wide meandering trail with pushed down trees and flattened bushes. Various cave and cliff shelters on the way where they seasonally wander for food

28 Magi Path - the territorial route of ogre magi and his goblin horde who use the trail to raid rivals and rob humans

29 Werewolf Trail - a mix of wolf and human footprints with and without boots, a family of werewolves use this trail for transforming on the way to hunting areas. Animals feel uncomfortable on this path

30 Orcish Trail - long ago a wizard settled in secret on this path and he created his own loyal orcs to watch the path for intruders who covet his magic secrets. He is a good orc keeper and they are all very satisfied in their upkeep and know the wizard is the supreme god who must be helped
31 Dwarf Path - connected several small mines and a smithy of a dwarf clan with warrior patrols

32 Gnome Path - has some spectacular giant mushrooms actually gnome houses and this is their main trade rout to another colony

33 Burrowers Path - halfling community uses this road to reach a major human road for trade

34 Elf path where scouts and traders come in secret with pleasant food plants on the way

35 Halfling Trail - where halflings hike and gather herbs, berries and nuts and sometimes go behind to trade

36 Wildfolk Way - where hairy wild hunting folk travel, sometimes you hear their horns or see them chasing game with bows and clubs. Sometimes you see them have rituals and dancing but best keep away and they do the same

37 Spirit Folk Trail - secret and difficult to follow as a human path used by spriritfolk to gather for secret celebrations then after they return to the human world and human form to live in secret among villagers. The site has a spring and stone circle and many unusual hermits in the area are really spirit folk related to plants or beasts or elements

38 Beast Folk Trail - a clan of beastfolk living in the area use this to cross their territory swiftly. Roll d6 for beastfolk type 1=wolf 2=goat 3=elk 4=lion 5=snake 6=badger

39 Berserkers Path - a trail where barbarian berserker gather for cult purposes and form warbands to terrorise some poor region. They are not really just human barbarians they are abhumans who look like large muscular humans and more related to beast folk than humans. They really hate wizards, spell casters and literacy and they only reluctant to fight undead

40 Cave Track - path connects a series of caves (and probably includes paths through them) where various cave people and subterranean folk live. Mostly they only come to the surface for at night and shun modern peoples and clothing unless snowing when they wear furs

41 Owlbear Track - mostly owl bears stay in their own area but in breeding season or when certain fish and berries are available they may congergate and use these paths. They really dislike humans spying on them like this and are happy to eat intruders

42 Wood Drake Path - a small draconic creature slinks along this path and it connects areas good to use its wings. It also has manyareas it can climb to safety in tree tops. It is enemies with wolves who hate it in return so eaten burned wolf remains can be found  

43 Spiders Path - dried thick bushes covered in cobwebs have tunnels that can fit a human. Millions of normal spiders are enough to scare off most people but the mummified corpses of wolves and deer bundled into webbing scares even the bravest locals away

44 Lizard Trail - where many species of peculiar giant lizards dewlled that there brought here by a lizard folk druid long ago for her people to domesticate. Many of these odd lizards have unusual abilities like the chameleon or the fire lizards or ghekkos. Even wolves fear this trail

45 Manticore Trail - winds through cliffs with caves where manticores nest

46 Bonnacon Path - worn path with an unpleasant smell, the cow-like beast roams here that can defend itself with blasts of stinking clouds or burning flames from its butt. There are burned patches of dung splattered on the train some with burned wolf bones

47 Hell Hound Trail - used by cultists attracted to the presence of hell hounds for centuries. The cults hope to find a hellgate they can worship and help devils invade our cosm

48 Night Hound Path - where on a full moon strange ghostly dog creatures travel this path and make crossing it dangerous. Locals know to keep away from the trail at night as do animals

49 Hell Cat Trail - where witches come to serve hell and learn from the devil cat who wanders this trail. Witches and willing converts come here but normal folk keep away

50 Raging Ape Trail - a circus abandoned a troop of carniverous giant apes here and faeries helped them survive. These apes have green fur and in spring grow flowers also
51 Centaurs Ramble - where seasonally centaurs gallop along the path often drunk for thrills, They may attempt to kidnap humans if they feel especially lusty which causes all sorts of trouble

52 Satyrs Path - lusty satyrs gather along this path and travel on it occasionally seeking wine or lovers to join them or troubling local dryads

53 Faun Trail - small humble woodland folk use this path to link their various homes in treestumps, caves and giant mushrooms and a few places they gather for dancing

54 Dryads Way - a trail of dryad sisters live along here and sometimes visit each other to trade gossip and old lovers. Some men have spent years captive here before being abandoned for new talent

55 Kobolds Trail - a lusty tribe of drunken kobolds live along here and trade gold and silver for wine and are much more pleasant company than normal kobolds. Occasionally some hold up travellers for alcohol and sometimes demand companions for a party 

56 Bulls Path - a labyrinthine passage through caves, thorn hedges and stone gulleys where several minotaur beast folks live. They of course are experts at navigating the path which has various hazards and dangers the minotaurs can all avoid

57 Hydras Path - a great slithering multi-headed giant snake follows this path from the water to its cave to hunting areas. It is actually aware of any on its path and is said to guard a treasure

58 Harpy Trail - with many rocky cliffs and harpy nests - they clear the path seasonally to attract victims

59 Nymphs Path has a series of pleasant springs some are hot springs others are magical. Nymphs guard them and bathe in them and people who seek to see them don't return

60 Unicorn Run - where these noble beasts roam seasonally sometimes guarded by elves and other creatures. Some come to gather magical healing unicorn poop before elves do
61 Faerie Trail - with many stone circles, carved menhirs and circles of mushrooms and flowers where faerie kind travel between worlds. It is dangerous to see them at night or especially full moons. They punish spies and may take humans as slaves for centuries then return them old and feeble hopelessly addicted to faerie food. Sprites, brownies and pixies are common here and will spy on travellers and make pranks on them if they don't leave cake offerings

62 Banshee Path - this clear path of dead grass and creepy scratching bushes by nigh is a route taken by a banshee who was an elfmaid murdered here by her lover long ago

63 Greenhag Gully - a winding path through a small canyon with a stream through it and several caves and many ancient trees and bogs. A greenhag has cultivated this for thousands of years and local evil elf boys and girls worship her. Humans maust leave an offering to pass 

64 Tree Folk Trail - this path apparently moves as many trees helping to form it are spirit trees who may assume human form and move around, especially for moonlight dances with other magical hidden filk

65 Oaken Path - a mossy trail through the dark ancient forest where gigantic tree folk roam. They are wary of strangers, especially ones with axes. Even elves leave offerings and ask to enter these areas if they must

66 Weird Path - time flows differently on this path and not as it should, seeing faeries is a warning that time may have slowed or sped up or gone backwards

67 Crooked Path - has odd angles and users may travel vast distances within Auldwood. Seemingly random and less useful if you can find it again. Faerie can predict its route with complex maps some humans seek

68 Dragons Path - a local spirit dragon appointed by heaven to rule the region has made this path for retainers and gifts to have easy access to its secret mountain palace. There are various spirit folk and elf courtiers and other minor faerie folk in service of the dragon. There are various points on the trail with shrines and some sort of challenge or test for mortals to continue4

69 Deathgazers Path - with dead dried grass and bushes and surprised-looking dead animals and skeletons. A cateoblas makes this path between its lair and hunting areas. Necromancers and dark elves make the animals into vicious undead and the spoiled bath grows yearly 

70 Stranglers Way - shunned path where every generation a few locals are found strangled who dared use the path alone at night. Unknown to most hangman's trees live on the path a god passed long ago. Other carnivorous plants grow here and some seem to become big enough to be a threat 
71 Hellbog Path - a route through a swamp where a malevolent land spirit dwells

72 Gloomfog Trail - foggy path with many bubbling hot mud pools. Mutants like to hide here as some strange glowing mud gives one the taint of chaos. A shrine and mutant camp are likley   

73 Fever Path - animals here have odd illnesses and vermin and mange. Any traveling through it is struck by toxic miasmas that spread disease

74 Nightfang Track - connecting several ruins and tombs between several villages. A vampire has lived here for a long time and has several emergency coffins set up so he can escape easier. Some are buried under soil or rubble. The vamp mostly kills travellers and has a human identity still locals would never expect 

75 Wayback Track - where travellers experience distorted time and most often are lost in time. Some void entity is trapped sleeping beneath the path and tries to ensnare victims to get them involved most frequently in troubles long ago. Some found no time seemed to pass but had odd dreams

76 Slime Track - a boggy path crossed by several creeks where many slime creatures are born and used. There are odd pools with disgusting macroscopic versions of pond life like hydras, tardigrades, ameobas and spores. Someone is tainting the path to make a barrier

77 Black Billy's Track - the famous devil demi-goat has made this track his on his frequent violent rampages since a cult failed to bind him

78 Demonstone Path - where there are many old standing stones which were once living mortal worshippers and larger stones were great vulture carrion bird demons. Cultists come to worship them and sometimes try to free them

79 Horsefly Track - swarms of huge stinging flies dwell around here some say is due to a curse

80 Rotbog Trail - wet stinking trail through a boggy area where bloated mutant horrors wallow in the yellow-grey mud pools. Some blame the ruins of an alchemist's laboratory near the trail
81 Bloody Maidens Trail - a local girl was murdered by werewolves and now her ghost wanters this path scaring and murdering those who remind her of werewolves

82 Phantom Path - this trail comes and goes and was once a pilgrims trail until bandits ruined the shrines and killed all the pulgrims. Now the shrine ruins are haunted by shadows

83 Headless Norman's Path - norman was a labourer killed in a sawmill and now his drunken ghost wanders the path to the abandoned mill looking for its head. SOme say another headless ghost stole the head

84 Grannyfinger Trail - often dark and misty in morning and night, people report grasping old women's hands reach from the soil in the fog grasping at anyone

85 Drowned Maidens Trail - once used more until a girl drowned herself and returned as a sad spirit who menaces travellers who dare use this path 

86 Hellbound Trail - appears and disappears often where devil cults frequent, if you follow the trail you find a village that is really a planar trap - you can only leave by going through hell

87 Sinkhole Trail - various sinkholes on this path are dangerous hazards you can fall in and many are well hidden under vegetation. Mant have been lost in these caves and many are now undead. A few use the pit as a lair and roam at night for victims, others are endlessly lost

88 Bone Path - trails used by a death cult to connect several ruins where a necromancer order hid for years and the path is still scattered with bones and undead especially skeletons still roaming the trail  

89 Weeping Willow Path - a series of willows each home to a spirit of a sacrificed maiden. They all crave male lovers but are jealous, paranoid, possessive and never want they chosen to leave. Some drown their lovers rather than let another get them. Some hope these males will be their lovers forever but this has never happened

90 Little Lord Track - where a lord's child disappeared in his finest suit. He was never found and they hung a woodsman they blamed. That was the first two spirits here, over the years more tragic spirits are discovered as more die here. Some have come from the woods with a new soul and the old ones left in a sealed bottle buried or sunk in a river
91 The Green Path - a strange new path that moves and seems to be a shorter path the way you need. Windchimes and bone flutes can be heard and other strange noises can be heard and vision becomes blurry. The path leads you into an otherworldly faerieland. The path is a enigmatic spirit sent to bring mortals to the otherworld

92 Bleak Path - moving dark path of spooky old trees and shadows. People passing here may encounter shadow creatures and some who passed its haunted route found things from their childhood nightmares enter the waking world to hunt their creators here and the dreams will return

93 Burning Path - a burned trail that seems fresh but in fact moves with ash and glowing coals and a few small spot fires. Elemental fire creature are attracted to this route often connecting planar portals or elemental nodes

94 Winter Path - seems to have frost or some snow in summer and a road of ice in winter. Connects planar portals and elemental nodes. Creatures from air, water and ice planes or winter spirits use this trail and keep it cooler than other paths

95 Snake Track - area rich in snake magic but also fruit and berry trees that attract vermin that the snakes eat. Many large constrictors, venomous reptiles or even swarms of small snakes. Some say there are caves and prehuman temples in the rocky gullys. An ancient land spirit serpant guards this repository of serpentine power and civilisation

96 Shamblers Trail - a trail through woods made by heaps of ambulant rotting humanoid heaps of vegetation from forest floor and bogs. These creatures are peaceful but protect the area from exploitation. If several guardians die thegrreat spirit of the path puts all the sleeping shambler spores into production to make an army of vegetal horrors. They are colonies of organisms part plant and part fungus and don't really have minds. Some druids and faerie folk work with them and comune with the spirit

97 Heroes Path - a tribal initiation path that appears in a new location daily rotating over a year. Tribes have long used it to test initiates into the secrets of druids, bards and warrior schools. The path goes through 12 hills each really a earth mound in the shape of a druidic zodiac sign. Each hill has a stone monument and a guardian spirit that operates a test based on sylvan magical creatures. Each success receive a blessings each fail receives a curse. Gods may take an interest in this ancient challenge 

98 Mothers Path - a moving path that often appears to aid women and children and guide them too the secret goddess grotto. Unfortunaltly a wold demon has found the way into her spirit world and eats a few suplicants who hesitate to accept her aid. She may send an animal guide and tries to appear as a large old woman

99 Verdant Path - a verdant trail that comes and goes seasonally and has sprouting vegetation that attracts deer and goats. Druids and hunters used to perform a ritual here to the lord in green the great spirit of Auldwood. Others who accidently travel this path will confront various prehistoric mega beasts and their is a chance if the ritual is successful they may bring a lost species back from the spirit world. The Forest god will send to smite the unworthy a wild wood lord hunter in a mask with stag antlers. Will ride a chariot pulled by giant elk followed by a band of faerie & sylvan beings, cultists, wild folk and tree folk. Some have fled until the sun came up and were saved and never returned to Auldwood. Modern church shuns this path

100 The Forbidden Path - this path moves and is a trap from a malevolent evil hunter god long forgotten. They exterminated species, plundered the wild and hunted other gods to devour them. The bloody berserker hunter god was son of the chaos earth god Bangarigor and one of his captains. The good gods hunted and killed this vile god who took 3 days to die leaving a trail of blood. The lost god is shattered but enough of its essence survived as this path. All kinds of violent chaotic evil psychopaths wander this path to fight each other, hone their skills and join bands under a charismatic leader to destroy and plunder as they please. As some new cults seem attracted the numbers of killers decimating the weak has proliferated. Some say the old god seeks to come back as a lord of murder. Various camps of maniacs camp on this path and several secret temples. By soaking enough blood into the land they hope to help heal the master and help them return. His cults go by many names until they can agree and unite under one new name for his evil

End of VOL1 of EMO ZIne

Zine no 12 out - 20 pages
last in digest format
the new format starts the next issue
on Patreon now and a Halloween 3fold

Will price up prints of issues 1-12 for sale by post: NZ & Oztralia (also my 3fold zines).
Will have the info soon.

New issues will be A4 and compiling old content by theme so can be added in chapters to eventual larger works. Struggled with LuLu book set-up and failed.

Emo Bestiary: Alerion

Alerion
Neutral Magical Animal

AC +7
HD 8
Att 2x d8 wings or 1 2d8 Swoop
Mov 6 Fly 48

A scarlet razor-winged bird that slices enemies. Similar to an eagle with a metallic hue. Usually, it starts an attack with a swoop by surprise. Related to possibly stymphalian birds and the phoenix, the female lays an egg at age 60. After laying it gathers its retinue of normal birds and then drowns itself so the followers are left to raise the chick until it can fly. Their feathers can be used to make arrows or scaled armour +1. Training one from a hatchling makes a loyal companion but they can be jealous and over protective of their adopted parent. They make excellent flying mounts but may be distracted by rabbits and deer if hungry

1in6 gain an extra peck attack if both wings hit for a d6 damage
1in6 intelligent and can speak to all birds, those 1HD or less must obey, can form a swarm of lesser birds to attack
1in6 gain +4 to hit with a surprise swoop attack
1in6 if inflict enough swoop damage to render a target 0HP remaining damage can attack the next floe in a line, repeat this until all damage is used up
1in8 gain 2 claw attacks for a d4 damage each
1in8 are white and grey and any fire-related abilities are ice and cold-related instead
1in10 are immune to fire and heat attacks
1in10 immune to non-magic weapons, half damage from silver
1in12 may shoot a d4 metallic feathers per round each inflicting a d6 damage
1in12 may spit 2d4 fire up to 30 range which may ignite flammables and is used to start fires when hunting
1in20 has vorpal wings that can sever a limb or head on an unmodified hit roll of 19 or 20, head loss is instant death, and limb causes the target to lose a d6 per round until healed or treated
1in20 has a tiny crown and will have a retinue of up to 20 HD of birds and winged allies
1in20 may teleport back to its nest once per day

d12 Alerion Adventures
1 A pair of these birds guards an island where a wizard placed his treasures on an island
2 A mountain where tribal people climb for a heroic rite has had an alerion slaughter the young contestants and has gathered their heads in its nest. Tribal council requires an outsider must do this as they may not harm the birds who are their totem
3 A wizard wants an Alerion chick in a huge nest and has a swarm of birds guarding it
4 An alerion used to keep away the hyena folk but someone saw them trap it and carry it to their camp to cook and eat their age-old enemy
5 A narrow invisible bridge on a mountain reaches a magical cave a relic is said to be in but is guarded by Alerion birds
6 At a recent royal gathering one noble used his trained Alerion to win and now other kings want such a bird which the gods will be displeased by. Local druids will to allow nobles to steal a chick 
7 Two cyclopses are having a contest as to which Alerion can decapitate the most works. They will pay adventurers to get orcs to chase them through a certain mountain pass then hide when the birds come. The cyclopses say the plan should work fine and don't worry several times
8 A narrow rope bridge was the only passage an order on monks had to reach the lowlands and a terrible red eagle has been attacking pilgrims and monks
9 A lady druid riding an Alerion has sworn to kill a noble who cut down their sacred tree, he needs bodyguards or someone to talk to the angry scary woman
10 A witch riding a rare black Alerion by night has killed several town watchmen and must be stopped 
11 A mischievous elf bandit lives in a tree with a Alerion nest and the cheeky elf likes to taunt travellers to chase them. If they reach the great tree however the fearsome bird will swoop at strangers first 
12 An elf knight riding an Alerion has been ambushing knights in the most shameful way on the kings roads  

Reviews of some Old-School-Essential Adventures

I have done a Halloween special 3fold adventure on my Patreon and might make more.

I had heard some hype from these works by Brad Kerr and I liked the covers and gave them a go. There is another volume on the drive-through I will probably get. They have the kinda G+ gonzo and feel of 80s UK punk grunge I like in my game stuff. Both are digest and I got the softback. The next one is bigger and I might spring for hardcover. Both have good layouts and cover art. Simple hyper-flat illustrations like Samurai Jack a bit and adequate maps that are readable. I like the series formatting and despite the warning about the required ruleset, I think I will manage. They also have some cosmic significance to them which could influence your campaign long after which is nice.

Hideous Daylight 💖💖💖💣
This has adventurers exploring a vast magical garden. Its a bit like Gygax wonderland and a funhouse dungeon as a hexcrawl but better than that sounds. There is a strange portal to close, some weird unkillable beings some that get stronger with each encounter and lots of weird and wonderful encounters. I think some of these creatures could reappear in your campaign much later. It's like you are adventuring in a Heironamous Boshe painting.

Temple of 1000 Swords💖💖💖💣
So its a temple of a sword god and there are more swords than you have ever seen and the god is influencing a race of subterranean duck barbarians who are battling merfolk. There are rooms with hundreds of swords and you want to find 9 parts of a special sword. I think I would make it's + increase as the wielder does so this sword lasted in the campaign. There is a table with a d100 weird swords forged by a divine being from strange materials. That alone is pretty awesome. Id likes to run this.

d100 Auldwood Streams & Creeks

Stuff for hex crawling in the great woods. 

d12 Crossings

1 Narrow point easily hopped over

2 Several large rocks to hop over

3 Prehistoric monoliths placed over live a small bridge far from the original location

4 Stoney waist-deep crossing easy on foot or horse

5 Small crude stone bridge quite ancient

6 Clearing with shallow stony crossing often used for ambush or illegal toll

7 Small toll bridge, the more traffic the stronger and better staffed

8 Gorge with crude bridge d4 1=branch or log 2=d3 ropes tied across 3=swing on vines or ropes across 4=wooden slats and rope with rope handrails

9 Hop between two rocks or a natural stone arch some height above the waters

10 A small ferry operated by a local or demihuman or humanoid

11 A large ferry able to cross with carriages ad wagons over the water with several staff

12 Large well made stone bridge you would barely notice a difference from road to the bridge. Bandits may operate an illegal toll station or the law as a legal one. Extra structures d4 1=fortified toll station 2=internal chambers for stockpiles 3=remains of sweatshop 4=prison cells long abandoned. Creatures may occupy these if abandoned by humans

d10 Quick Creeks
1 Treasure Streams

2 Fishing Streams

3 Tricky Streams

4 Industrious Streams

5 Beastly Trail Streams

6 Monster Trail Streams

7 Faerie & Sylvan Streams

8 Weird Streams

9 Haunted Streams

10 Holy Streams

d100 Auldwood Streams & Creeks
01 Silver Creek - beloved by elves and there have been silver mines in some cliffs attracting miners and sometimes their pollution angered the faerie folk. Old folk came here to make weapons to fight lycanthropes

02 Gold Stream - shimmering stream where some pan for gold which also attracts bandits 

03 Copper Creek - has a brilliant blue-green tinge and some of the rock pools have deeper colour. The creek cuts through stone and has exposed copper people have mined for thousands of years. The oldest mines are haunted and also used as tombs

04 Amber Stream - where many have found amber and some even dug into it and found some. People have come forever to this place and the amber from here has turned up in faraway lands. Their are old tombs and some prehistoric people made amber golems to guard the dead

05 Lead Creek- quite toxic, local people and orcs here are well known to be extra brutish and dull-witted clods 

06 Greenstone Creek - where some look for jade among the river stones and some large pieces have been found here. Some local water spirits do not approve of its removal and must be appeased

07 Glowstone Creek - well known as a source of mutagens and green stones and sand that alchemists make into glowing green glassware. Horrible creatures are spawned here and some rock pools are the most devolved tentacled protoplasmic horrors. The stream glows green in the moonlight. The creek flows through a mountain and the cave within is believed to be home to a vast living ooze god and glowstone crystals and lethal auroras

08 Ruby Creek - where from time to time red ruby hellstones are found that corrupt the finder with malice, paranoia and lust. Murder is often a result and such stones are destroyed by the church

09 Marble Creek - where chunks of marble cut masonry and rubble are found from the ancient civilisation of the sky giants who lived like gods. There are remains of great stone heads and areas with submerged mosaics you can find on its path

10 Opal Creek - where fabled icy blue moon opals are found and much desired by lunar and elemental water cults. There are even ancient stone shrines along the creek path and some say the birds and frogs and fishes watch for opal thieves and inform the spirits
11 Salmon Stream - where great salmon each year come following their golden king. Fishermen and bears come and berries are common on its shores

12 Pike Stream - where monster pike attack small dogs and children and fishermen come to funt them. A few vanish every year

13 Carp Creek - a wide slow muddy creek stirred up by huge carp. Unknown to many some of them are a breed of divine dragon infants who spend a few centuries here growing up in fish form. If caught they will offer a treasure if spared and if harmed the spirits will tell the dragons parents who did it

14 Cod Creek - where gigantic cod live big enough to gobble up a goat in one gulp. They are quite ancient and will cast spells on anyone really bothering them. If you can communicate with them they know lots of history and about underwater and aquatic faerie lands

15 Catfish Creek - where giant magical catfish live that if caught will promise to convince a spirit to aid you. Old folk wonder workers used to come here to get spirits onside by fishing

16 Sturgeon Stream - where people come to catch these fish to extract their eggs for the rich packing them in salt and making fine delicacies for the rich often smoking it.  

17 Magicfish Creek - many strange magic fish live here and wizards and alchemists especially fish for them to fathom their secrets. Eating them has many random weird effects but some books and fisherman journals give hints as to what types look like and what magic effect they have

18 Redfin Creek - these cunning fish are a challenge and well-regarded by fisherfolk who at best get a few a year. Eating a fish has been known to cure lycanthropy if the victim has yet to murder a person

19 Lungfish Creek - a muddy creek that seasonally dries up. Some are very large and may be under shallow mud and will nip any who disturb them

20 Lamprey Creek - good fishing but swarms of lamprey and some huge ones, many fish caught here have lamprey bite wounds. There is always at least one giant lamprey in the creek at a time since a great lamprey demon god was maimed here and driven underground

21 Chasm Creek passes into a sinkhole through hill and out a gorge with a waterfall and travellers on water are in great peril. There is often a crude rope bridge crossing

22 Cauldron Creek has sections of rocky rapids that resemble the bubbling surface of a witches cauldron and is dangerous for water traffic or crossing

23 Fang Creek - fast flowing with jagged spiked stones under the waterline

24 Nine Falls Creek - has many surprises quite steep drops and waterfalls with several caves

25 Clam Creek - populated by giant freshwater clams which can nip off a person's foot

26 Rubble Creek - frequently winds down slopes and full of broken masonry from some shattered ancient ruin

27 Plague Stream - boggy manky water with swarms of mosquitoes and a diseases miasma that can infect travellers with yellow shakes, swamp pox or bile fever

28 Traitors Creek - many winding rocky beds make travel by boat difficult but it should be possible for a skilled pilot or a guide. However far more people die here than should, even experienced boat folk and some gossip claims some spirit is to blame

29 Thorn Creek - many areas of the creek have rapids and most of the banks are covered in thorn bushes and brambles. Some animals, halflings and even faeries take advantage of this

30 Vanishing Creek - drops into cavern sinkholes several times and through flooded underground rapids that are very dangerous. Some adventurers who fell in said they found an underground kingdom with precious stones below. Most bodies are never found
31 Fishtrap Creek - many ancient stone walls and dams make it easy to herd and trap fish. Various fishermen keep ancient spots in their families for generations. Many fisher shacks follow the stream

32 Mill Stream - named after several mills built on the stream by a wise noble but several are now abandoned and haunted

33 Log Stream - lumberers use this to ship bundles of wood downstream, giant beavers sometimes ambush these and dam the stream

34 Tanner Creek - poisoned with leatherworkers' workshop, often tainted in colour and strange-coloured dead sludge pools

35 Alchemist Creek - polluted with mutagens long ago by an alchemist

36 Shippers Stream - used by locals with canal boats pulled by ponies and some sections through widened caverns

37 Hunters Creek - marks the border of a great reserve protected by a hunter cult. To hunt here you must get approval from the hunter's lodge. They are protecting various magical beasts found here

38 Brewers Creek - pure spring used by a famous brewery and tavern. The village also has a clay pit and pottery workshop and glass blower making bottles for the brewery. Many traders use the bubbling gentle stream said to have a good mood by boat folk

39 Masons Creek - cuts through an ancient quarry where masons come still to cut blocks for jobs. There are some tunnels where a certain valuable stone was removed long ago and some of these may have new occupants

40 Goat Creek - a route used by goat herders and wild goats where water flows with rocky and stony banks where the goats have an advantage over predators. Still, goats come and preditors try. In the past times, a witch and her goat folk minions came here seasonally. Goat keepers like to get wild goats to mate with their stock and may capture some goats and merge them with a herd. Goat hunters like to try but humans cant cover rocky cliffs and gulleys as easily

41 Wolf Creek - a popular run for a large pack of wolves with many sub-packs in the area. Their howls can be heard by night and some say a werewolf might be among them and lives in a shack by the creek

42 Bear Creek - a popular creek for many bears to fish and also for seasonal berries. Most avoid the creaks in bear season

43 Lion Creek - known that several caves by the creek are homes for cave lions who move around the creek. There are a few outcast loners who may be desperate old ones who will be hungry enough to become maneaters. Sometimes several young males live together

44 Toad Creek - winding through clay cliffs where many hidden giant toads dwell. Giant bugs like this stream which keeps the toads on their toes for surprise attacks on these snacks

45 Flower Stream - where giant spectacular flowers can be seen and are highly prized. Many wish to see them but giant bees defend the flowers along with local dryads and tree folk

46 Serpent Stream - cuts through black basalt cliffs. They say there are doors to hidden vaults of the sorcerous serpent folk from prehuman times. Sometimes they release a thunder lizard or giant snake lose as a guardian. Many reptilian monsters have been killed here by heroes

47 Squirrel Stream - a species of giant intelligent squirrel folk live along here who even wear clothes and use tools along with their dumber giant kin they use as mounts and pack beast. There are huge oak trees with colonies of these creatures

48 Duncat Creek - a giant shaggy wildcat with glowing green eyes has been seen here for generations and will hunt lone humans or lure humans into perilous encounters and terrain

49 Black Dog Creek - a huge black dire wolf who has gained some additional powers of shadow and darkness using pacts. Some who see it by night it may later visit in their dreams and feed off their fear. Will send dream of its great power to intimidate them in the future (see it within 24 hours of a dream visitation and save or flee 1-4 hours)

50 Salamander Stream - stream of great misty trees and marshy banks. There are many giant remains of trees here rotting away attracting giant fungus and bugs. Giant salamanders and newts like to live here in woodpiles and eat the giant bugs
51 Hook Creek - winding through stone cliff caves with many deep gauges and scratches in the rock. A breeding colony of Hook Horrors lives here and rogue males wander the creek bed

52 Foul Creek - a narrow poison creek surrounded by a slowly growing wasteland. Upstream a basilisk has made a lair fouling the purity of the land

53 Gorgon Gully Creek - where a winding stream in the hills is frequented by a great metallic beast with poison breath

54 Shambling Green Stream = thick vegetation around twisted marshy creek makes it hard to see or find. There are giant mounds of rotting vegetation and bubbling marsh gas arises in many places. Shambling plant creatures move hidden among foliage and kill animal creatures made of living meat

55 Slime Stream - full of rafts of weird algae and slimes and various other slime creatures spawn here and it is sacred to chaos cults

56 Crackle Creek - comes from a huge crack in the earth and mutant cave creatures and weird creatures regularly wash out from caves in floods. A  few explorers have gone missing

57 Griffon Creek - a colony of griffons come here to drink and people with horses avoid it or pass the trails with the quickest passage through
58 Wyvern Creek - two rival colonies of wyvern battle around this stream one clan are red and the other is black. Some say each family were a knight clan who would not stop fighting so an archbishop cursed them all

59 Wyrm Stream - a great black wyrm lives in the stream often under the mud but sometimes basking in the sun near crossings awaiting a snack to pass

60 Dragon Stream - seasonally smells of sulphur and reptile and is avoided by most creatures as it means a green dragon is awake and hungry 

61 Wee Folk Stream - where small faerie folk like brownies, pixies, nixies, and sprites live and frolic. Some leave tiny offerings by various stones fo the faerie don't prank them or cause trouble. Sometimes they help someone in trouble who finds themselves at a crossing

62 Dryad Stream - many dryads live along this stream and are related. They will sometimes quarrel over lovers or swap them and many poor souls are living in the woods thralls of these women. Some wizards make good money charming them and bringing them back to civilisation then charge money or servitude if they cannot pay

63 Old Tree Creek - passes through dense ancient trees and some are great treefolk who are sleeping guardians who keep loggers away 

64 Centaur Creek - a tribe of centaurs mark this as their territory and are mostly hidden. 

65 Green Man Creek - frequented by wild folk with green plant-like fur that live in area and often hunt with clubs and bows. They may occasionally try kidnapping someone if their population is shrinking. Some people lived among them for years and a boy was found with antlers. Surgeons saved and shaved him and he joined the church

66 Song Stream - a famous water nymph attracts many satyr souters and you can sometimes hear their otherworldly music as they serenade her. They get angry and jealous of anyone else talking to the nymph and often fight each other

67 Goblin Creek - surrounded by giant fungus and bugs where goblins have travelled between two sinkholes for aeons. One of these caves is the site of a goblin market each full moon where all kinds of traders and beings visit. Humans should avoid this fabulous location 

68 Elf Stream - passes through extraordinarily beautiful woodland and even the light seems more glorious. This area is used as a waypoint for elves from faerie land. There are various faerie rings, small stone circles and holes in the trunks you cn squeeze through to get there and back. There are sad stories from a few people who came back years or decades later. Some wasted away without faerie food or found their families all dead years ago

69 Unseelie Stream - surrounded by rotting dead trees and vile poisonous fungus. Various dark faerie folk live here and are quite malicious. Occasionally a missing traveller here returns as a zombie or werewolf or a wight or ghoul. They live in tree stumps, toadstool cottages and caves

70 Seelie Stream - peasant herbs and berries line the shores and there are various small faerie folk living in trees and in mushroom cottages. Best not to anger them but they can be appeased with gifts
71 Corpse Creek - undead giant beavers appear whenever corpses are left near the creek. Floods drown many people and livestock every few years and the evil beavers build them into dams to make lakes of filth and corruption for other horrors. When the water goes foul or bodies are found an expedition is called to end the beavers

72 Treasure Creek - shiny coins and gems are sometimes seen in the water but really it is a trick by some spirit who tries to wrestle and drown those who enter the water. Some say the spirit has a grotto cave where the real treasure and all the bodies of her kills are

73 Troll Creek - there are statues near it of elder high trolls with troll script, all long lost from the world. Once a year a troll of the modern sort goes to the headwaters of the stream flow and spends a few days cutting off body parts and throwing them into the water to wash down and grow. Locals know the howls of trolls and try and organise a hunt. Some have tried to kill this troll but it has many identical siblings to replace it  

74 Glass Stream - large and deep with good flow this contains an aquatic faerie land where river spirits and animals converse and are subjects of the Nymph, a lesser goddess who has a shapeshifting marine dragon as a lover who does her bidding. Fishers are driven off by nixies and other beings and locals just take water and leave cakes

75 Chaos Creek - foul bubbling water is known to cause mutations and sickness and attract degenerate mutants and slime creatures. Chaos cults sometimes come here to gain the mark of chaos then go on violent rampages

76 Steaming Creek - winding rocky stream with several thermal steam vents and heated pools can be found. Some are popular to relax but more isolated ones used by animals, hidden peoples and supernatural beings

77 Serpentine Stream - locals know some kind of snake monster or demon lives here. It is home to a serpentine naga shapeshifter who sometimes assumes human form if bored. People shun it so wildlife are thriving. A few cultists came here and have been charmed and live nearby now

78 Spider Creek - thick foliage around banks and tree branches are filled with millions of large spiders attracted to the clouds of insects attracted to the boggy creek. In some places you can see larger web-lined tunnels into hedges and bushes so nobody comes here at night 

79 Black Creek - a toxic stream from a wound in the earth that eventually drops into a deep sinkhole again. Vegetation and animals on its banks are tainted by evil and united against intruders. Swarms of bugs, angry deer charges, squirrels throw rocks and huge rodents attack, intruders 

80 Wizard Stream flows from a cliff-carved stone skull home of a wizard who died in some accident creating the stream. A gateway to the elemental plane of water was made and pure water flows forth into a bog around the skull, gathering nutrients then flowing onwards to a healthy creek. Elemental beings are found sometimes and frogfolk and fishfolk say the place is holy
81 Hag Stream - boggy seasonal creek where a hag is said to dwell. She is said to eat attractive youths it can trap with illusions

82 Black Hill Creek - has cut through peat bogs and several barrows and undead lurk in the slow black waters grasping at those who come to drink including ghouls, wights and shadows

83 Kelpie Creek - spirit appears as a horse or maiden to lure victims into the water to devour

84 Banshee Stream - the spirit of an angry elf maid haunts this stream making passage difficult for males who she hates the most

85 Gallows Creek - At the old major crossing is a great gallow tree where for generations people were hung and left here. A few remains are taken but some say the tree has become evil and has a malicious spirit. Sometimes skeletons are seen walking the shores at night and many have nooses. People began using a new path to avoid the tree but people are still hung there without incidents. Some trying to steal bodies have been haunted by the tree spirit 

86 Charnel Creek - long ago a great massacre occurred on a flat area upstream and hundreds of bodies were thrown in. Sometimes at night people see the stream flow red with blood and hacked-up body parts. Others have seen mutilated angry spectral beings searching for their missing corpse parts so they can rest

87 Witch Creek - was once where witches met and later when hunters drowned witches and any women they disliked. Some say these men were turned into the crows that swarm here. By night it seems windy and vegetation seems to scratch at those moving here. Weird mists and lights have been seen so most shun the creek now

88 Blood Stream - at times has flowed with blood shocking locals. An investigator found a bloody wound in some vast buried creature and sewed it up and nobody has gone up there since. Animals drinking from the stream when bleeding are said to become extra protective and united against outsiders and locals speak of blood bonds and make blood pacts evoking some daimon called Xor

89 Odd Frog Creek - a holy place for frog folk as many types of valuable magic frogs live here. Some humans gather them but risks of giant amphibians or angry frog folk fanatics put off most people. Plus it takes an expert to understand what up to a hundred breeds of frogs can do

90 Furble Creek - many small beast folks live along this stream in tiny cottages much like halflings might but from a variety of common forest animals. They are wary of humans as some have come here to bully them before
91 Quicksliver Creek - a stream that blocks the passage of undead and lycanthropes and planar beings who cannot cross it

92 Mistloe Creek - a popular place for druids to gather their favourite herb as trees here are dripping with golden boughs of the herb. There are quite a few stone monoliths, dolmen and woven plants made into scarecrow figures. These are guardians who keep intruders away

93 Saints Creek - made from a spring where a saint touched his staff into a rockface. Once per day those who drink from it heal 1HP

94 Thunder Creek - a river god axolotl dwells here and loves storms, rain and having people fear them. Lives in a faerie palace at the creek bottom and with courtiers may adopt human form. Travellers leave gifts and prayers for the spirit but newer travellers don't know the custom and have been making it angry and hungry. He may raise or lower the river level and create rain or storms. Those who seek shelter in the caves become their playthings

95 Demon Creek - has a sinister reputation but in fact it holds down several demons trapped in stone jars under the riverbed. The river spirit may adopt the form of a fox or a turtle spirit folk and works to keep away the demon cultists always coming to free demons. Cultists seek the jars and may try to trick dupes into getting the jars for them. Locals avoid the area 

96 Maiden Stream - where some say a benevolent spirit of a drowned maiden lives but really she is a much older minor river goddess who on location will send a hero on a quest and present them with a magic item. She makes them swear oaths for these boons

97 Cold Creek - seemingly always cols and in winter freezes over and can be hidden by snowdrifts as a dangerous hazard. A frost spirit of winter blows chilling winds across the creek and at people camping or passing. In winter it is more obvious and may take human form for some mischief or to seduce someone

98 Faerie Stream - a hidden cliff bend features a faerie doorway and the stream forms a staircase where under certain times a powerful faerie enters the world to help the seasonal transitions with ancient songs. Many faerie and sylvan beings come for a great dance or orgy. Those passing the stream don't swear and leave offerings in fear of angering fey folk

99 Wildhunt Stream - several nights a year the wild hunt manifest and follow this stream to keep the mortal and faerie world divided. Mortals who see this may be judged and hunted, if caught they can be killed or maimed for one year when they will return to take away the wound if the victim is repentant

100 Slain Stream - some have seen by nights of great battles warrior maidens of the gods on winged horses gallop above the stream path. Then they go to some battle to claim worthy souls for the next apocalypse. Only a few old people have seen this from a distance and none want their gaze upon them. Some see them as an omen as trouble in the region while barbarians come to see them and compose poetry

d12 Cult Summonings

Am thinking of some weird stuff for modern-era demon hunting where you can detect supernatural activity by how your phone phreaks out. With the right apps, you can enhance detection and communicate with beings from beyond. Spells that block communications including psionics and EM-based technology and others that scramble people's ability to speak or make sense. Demons can not only take the form of things from pop culture but then after the fact images of them in books change as if they always existed. Thus Garfield and Freddy Kruger or Alien or Predator could all fight and forms just masks for demons seeking human fantasy to manifest a form. In cases, your phones could invite entities into this world through the phone into the user then use their subconscious fantasies to build a corporeal form. In a more ye olde setting such manifestations instead interfear and interact with certain magic like divination or comunication. They might make certain items vibrate or glow in their presence - not a feature built in item deliberatley its the presence of magical beings from beyond.

But for quick use in my D&D game:

So devils and sometimes smarter demons leave out defective summoning devices and rituals that give the wielder knowledge of a ritual and words. The rituals only tease what they do and only an expert who has used these types can tell the difference. Some divination magic could help ID the type. 

d12 Cult Summonings

1 Some strange noises and seemingly anti-climactic. An evil spirit has been called and may d4 1=occupy location 2=occupy object 3=occupy cultists body 4=follow cultists home and spy on them and bringing about malign happenings to make them more foul

2 All feel a strange increase in air pressure, all save or get a blood nose. One cult member who fails will be chosen to provide material for a monster that will serve the cult. Often a hellhound or preferred monster of whom provided the ritual 

3 A violent thunderclap and clouds appear, from a cloud a blazing form or symbol of an evil planar lord appears, furiously yelling. Those who bow down receive a minor mutation and the cult leader gets a minor and a major mutation 

4 An imp or other lesser evil being appears but in the form of a small animal. It will have various minor magical abilities and could be recruited as a familiar. Enjoys tormenting and corrupting people and may feign service to do so

5 Pathetic d4 lesser demon, devil or daemon appear to serve the cult leader obediently

6 A lesser demon, devil or daemon appears possibly in animal form, offers service and seeks to convince the cult to sell their souls for a lesser wish from their overlord

7 Summons if CE an Incubi or Succubi who will perform lewd acts for the cult, IF NE calls a ferryman of the underworld who offers secret knowledge and adventure if LE summons a fury to judge each cultist and if not loyal and true will have their flesh shredded

8 Summons an evil elemental allied to CE, NE or LE

9 A greater evil spirit is manifested in the area with several monstrous and human and beast forms. It will seek to aid its summoner but will be willing to haunt a location for the cult

10 Summons gang of lesser demon, devil or daemon eager to serve for one night the cause. Not very bright and require leadership

11 Summons a major demon, devil or daemon who can be given one task for the night, if it senses weakness or fear it may challenge the summoner and destroy the. Make sure your protective symbols, wards and spells are working

12  Contacts a manifestation of a noble demon, devil or daemon who demands service offering boons for oaths, will record their names in a book and possibly perform some ritual where the lord or their form touches the client. Some chose may be gifted with sorcery or show the cult leader how to find the black university of hell for low tuition fee deals to learn wizardry 

d12 Cult Master

1 A local community leader well known as an influential trader who holds a public office
2 An elder of the community with many relatives and influence and is known as spiritual

3 A noble interested in pleasure, freedom, old values and slavery leads a cult in secret

4 A teacher or scholar or sage famed for knowledge and cleverness

5 A local soldier with some rank and subordinates to command and law of the land

6 A local healer who has helped everyone over the years and is present at the births of many

7 A strange hermit in the woodlands shunned by most seen sometimes by wary locals

8 A mysterious wealthy foreigner staying in the area, fancy by local standards

9 Local bandit or robber knight actually sacrificing victims using robbery as a front

10 Well-off farmer in areas who leads a faction of the village assembly

11 Local leader of thieves guild or criminal organisation

12 A local magician known as a local wonder-worker

d12 Midnight Ceremony Location

1 Ruins of the forbidden castle where a massacre took place once
2 Crossroads away from the common gaze
3 In a clearing in a spooky forest wth a stone altar
4 Blasted heath away from anyone subject to frequent bad weather
6 A stone circle left by some prehistoric people
7 In a graveyard or crypt
8 On a small island in a river or the sea
9 In a hidden cavern
10 Tunnels under a village or town
11 In an abandoned house or basement

12 Inside a dungeon of a destroyed castle

d12 Tonight's special meeting activity before summoning

1 Planning who to curse with spells and various members nominate their enemies
2 Initiating new members or discussing recruitment efforts

3 Drinking and singing and feasting

4 Discussing esoteric philosophy and disciples asking questions of the master 

5 Learning basics of spell casting theory and practice

6 Guest cultist giving talk on their own cult practices

7 Planning meeting for new evil schemes

8 Budget meeting and treasurers report 

9 Orgy d4 1=Bring your pets and familiars orgy day (no zombies!) 2=seniors night and raffle 3=regular boring orgy 4=supernatural being guest 

10 Discussion of local dungeons, haunted ruins and strange phenomena 

11 Negotiating with another cult or hidden humanoid species

12 Cultist punished for d4 1=breaking rules 2=offending the master 3=cowardice in forfilling evil duties 4=squealing a cult secret punishments include d6 1=whipping 2=burning 3=gauntlet of cult with whips or clubs 4=mutilation with scars or removal of body part 5=torture 6=rolled in blanket of nettles 7=disembowelled 8=stabbed by whole cult 9=strangled 10=roll three times and after they are healed or raised 11=killed and made into a zombie 12=fed to cult pet

d12 Things to go wrong

1 Someone accidently crosses or damages the summoning cirlce or pentacle
2 Astrology calculations mishap the stars are wrong
3 The sacrifice had some flaw unaceptable for powers that be
4 Some potion or incense ingrediant or other componant was flawed
5 Cult member missed rehersals and makes unspeakable gesture at wrong moment

6 Cultist has seizure and heart attack during rituals

7 Master misread or mistranslated the dread scrolls for the ritual 

8 This version on spell flawed as a deliberate trap, competant translator would notice 

10 The performance is lack luster, lacks comitment and they all look sad and tired

11 Naughty familiar sabotages ritual or command spells

12 A rival cult or an upstart seeking to has prepared this to destroy the master and replace them 

d12 Sighns this ritual is really happening

1 Strange howls and cries in the night of something not human
2 Swarms of buzzing insects or croaking frogs vibing to ritual or possibly protesting its unaturalness

3 Distant thunderclaps then lightning crack. Storm clouds gather and circle the ritual

4 See an unatural celestial phenomenon d4 1=winking bad star possibly odd colour 2=shooting star spotted 3=constelation is covered or only one visible from couds 4=hairy sparkling star falls from the sky

5 Flock of birds or bats circle chirping anxiously

6 Animals gather to watch and some may attack cultists for crimes against nature
7 Air preasure increases causing nosebleeds and headaches to all who fail save in area (-1 all rolls for duration)
8 Otherworldly vapours with strange odours that drowns out other scents and remains for a d4 days, d8 types 1=brimstone 2=sewerage 3=rotting vegetables 4=animal musk 5=cinnimon 6=sweet narcotic floral perfume 7=ash 8=musty rotten fungus and spores

9 Gust of wind or wave of preasure bursts from the ritual area perimeter, blowing things and shaking trees

10 Objects in are move and rattle about like rocks, sticks, leaves, adventurer equiptment

11 Monster species gathers to welcome evil (d4 1=orcs 2=goat folk 3=dire wolves 4=ogres) or hinder the ritual (d4 1=tree folk 2=elves 3=faeries 4=spirit)  

12 Empathic wave instilling some emotion over everything in the area save to resist. Sometimes the participants may be immune or gain more benificail effects d8 1=fear 2=lust 3=hunger 4=sleepy 5=berserk 6=diarreah or vomiting 7=spontanious bleeding eyes and other places 8=shift alignment temporarily more to the preferance of cult patron, on third time its permanant 

d12 Cult Treasure

1 Locked trapped chest of members donations and other loot with a ledger
2 Locked chest of robes, 2d4 holy symbold 30gp each, 2d4 bottles of unholy water, candles, goat skull, spooky sounding horn, 2d4 masks
3 Trunk of leather outfits, straps, whips, chains, collars and scented body oils and saucy pamphlet prints with witches and mosters
4 Chest of 2d4 occult books including a cult book with member list with cult names and codes
5 Chest with 2d4 levels of spell scrolls (or runestones or tablets or seals whatever best)
6 Chest with 2d4 favourite potions the cult uses and possibly makes

7 Chest full of drugs and drug paraphernalia including pipes, scales and a d4 bottles of drugged wine. Also bottles of local beer, wine and spiced rum for a part  

8 Roast joint of meat, vegetables and baked good for after cult dinner with plates and some tea cups and a kettle. Also jars of pickles and jams cultists swap at meetings

9 Small planar creature in a bottle or jar with a magic seal will do a favour if you free it

10 Ornate cult daggers d4 and come in d6 types d4 1=silver 2=+1 3=+1+3vs good 4=+1+3vs humans 5=coated in blade venom save or lose 1hp a round for 2d4 rounds 6=+2 dagger victims slain arise as undead if fail save but not especially under users control

11 Evil aligned cult weapon which tries to control wielders will, the personality of the weapon seeks power and murder and whispers terrible advice to weilder. Save when first pick up and eack battle blood is drawn +1+3vs good detect good 3 times a day protection from good once per day 

12 Wand 2d10charges d4 1=detect magic 2=identify 3=burning hands 4=magic missile