Here is a little adventure that I originally tried to write for the Troika Pamphlet Jam. Unfortunately, I was never able to convert this to pamphlet form because I suck at layout and art, I don't know how to use Itch or Twitter, and I kind of prefer doing my own thing just in general.
Instead, I thought I would put the adventure on here for everyone's enjoyment. Check out the Troika! pamphlet jam at the link below! Please note that this blog is an independent production by me and is not affiliated with the Melsonian Arts Council.
Running the Game:
Jean-Michel de Warenne is dead, stabbed in the back in his own study. Since everyone in the party was named in De Warrene’s will, the party has been summoned to his elaborate mansion to attend the will reading. The party starts in room 1. When the party travels to another room, roll a d6 for each star on their path. On a 1-2, the party has an encounter. Roll a d6 to determine the type of the encounter: 1-3 a challenge specific to the connection type (see below), 4-6 wandering encounter (see wandering encounter table.).
Map:
Connections:
The color of each line represents how the two rooms are connected. Each method of travel presents its own challenges.
Purple—Rooftops.
Between the countless gables and steeples, between the gargoyles and the relief sculptures, it is possible to walk out on the roofs of the mansion. The abyss yawns below.
Rooftop challenges:
1. Roofs that slope dangerously—impossible to cross without a skill test.
2. Gusts of wind belching up from the abyss—test luck to avoid a random item of the party’s inventory to blow away
3. Vertigo attack—test luck or suffer -1 to all rolls for d3 hours.
Yellow—Elevator
An old-fashioned elevator operated by hand. Rickety.
Elevator Challenges:
1. Cord snaps—catch yourself or falll down to room 8 or 5, taking severe fall damage (as large beast)
2. Frightening voices—they are just trapped fragments of old arguments. Best to ignore them. Anything the voices say are lies.
3. Half-floor. The elevator opens to reveal a half-floor between the real levels of the mansion. The half-floor is a dark, unlit maze of empty grey rooms larger than the mansion itself. A minotaur lives here, only wanting escape and death Skill 10 Stamina 23 Armour 2 Initiative 3 Damage as Axe.
Green—Hallways
Thick green carpeting muffles steps. The hallways are lined with exquisite paintings made by Beryl.
Hallway Challenges:
•Lamps—They are unusually hot. Damage as jolt spell if touched.
•Bed—The sheets are stained with blood.
•Closet—The ghost of Mary De Warrene, Jean-Michel’sfirst wife (whom he himself murdered), hides in this closet behind a large fur coat. She promises her eyes (poppies that grant +1 second sight) to anyone who can bring her baby back from room 3. Skill 6 Stamina 7 Initiative 1 Damage as Knife (from her long, green fingernails. If she rolls a 5+ on a damage roll, test luck or become poisoned as per poison spell in addition to normal damage)
5. Artist's studio
Unfinished canvases lean against the white walls marked with splotches of color. The scent of turpentine and toil. Hundreds of paintings line the walls of the mansion. They were all painted by Beryl Warner, who lives in this room. 2-in-6 chance Hughis here (see wandering encounter 2), taunting Beryl to madness. Skill 6 Stamina 10 Initiative 1 Damage as club (from her quite large brush)
6. Herbarium
The humid air of the herbarium is oddly cold, so it sticks to the skin like fog. The air smells sticky and sweet. The herbs are mostly dead.
•Herbs—the majority are dead kitchen-herb plants, but a suitable skill finds that one of the herbs is golden oregano. Nurse it back to health and eat its leaves to gain +1 in a random spell. A clever botanist could also find Dayshade, a berry that will wake any sleeping person.
7. The Darkroom
A throbbing red led casts shadows over the old photography supplies. A strong chemical smell wafts from the basin in a corner of the room. A black casket was taken here, apparently for a photograph, but then left.
•Photography supplies—An old camera, sundry chemicals, and 3 enchanted flash bulbs (squeeze to function as Flash spell. Only works once.)
•Casket—Jean-Michel’s body inside, forgotten.
8. The Study
De Warenne's dried blood stains the oaken desk where he was murdered. It runs down the desk to the plush green carpet. There are many books and uncomfortable chairs, but, for the most part, the books are blank—just for show. A large snake head sticks out of a hole in the wall. The door leading to room 9 is locked.
• Chairs—Leather. One has wings and can fly (pilot check to take off and land without crashing horribly, however)
•Snake head—The body of the massive two-headed garter snake winds around inside the walls of the mansion. The head at this end, Ari, promised not to give the key to anyone except the rightful owners of the snowglobe (the will in room 10 is proof enough for her). Ari hates the other head, Arnold, and wants him dead. (Skill 10 Stamina 12 Armour 1 Damage as Large beast)
9. Memorarium
The place where De Warenne kept all the innocent, nostalgic items that remind him of who he once was. The room is circular, lined with shelves full of junk.
•Trinkets—A load of junk. Old comic books, bicycles, practical jokes, etc.
•The Snow Globe— Shake during combat to look at the top three cards of the stack and put them back in any order. Sleeping with the globe grants +1 luck for the rest of the day. Break to create a terrible blizzard lasting 1d3 weeks.
10. The Armoury
De Warenne collected around twenty historical suits of armour. Most are utterly ridiculous, not designed for humans, or broken, but some are still usable. The other head of the two-headed garter snake comes out of the northern wall.
•Armour—of the twenty suits of armour, three are of particular interest. If the party chooses to investigate the armour roll below:
1. The Burning Helm: Ignite this helm on fire at will. Fearsome, but painful. +1 Armour when activated, but take -3 stamina per round.
2. Hempen Armour: Counts as light armour. Unbearably itchy. Can be unwound to produce up to 30’ of magically unbreakable rope.
3. Porcelain armour: Incredibly delicate, finely made armour. +1 to Callous Strike spell. Counts as Heavy armour, but breaks if the wearer ever takes more than 3 damage. The ashes of the De Warenne family, long stored in the armour, have congealed into a pudding that will attack anyone who disturbs it. Skill 5 Stamina 8 Armour 0 (3 if they are using the armour) Initiative 2.
•Snake head—The other end of the two-headed garter snake comes out of the wall here. This head, named Arnold, haughtily explains that he was given De Warrene’s will, and says that it is too important to give away to anyone but Rotier (see wandering encounter 5). Arnold is easily flattered. He hates Ari and wants her dead. (Skill 10 Stamina 12 Armour 1 Damage as Large beast)
•The Will—If obtained from Arnold in some way, the will lists the party as the owners of the snow globe. It lists Beryl as the rightful owner of the mansion and the family fortune.
Wandering encounters
1. Richard the Somnambulist
Richard, an old business partner, fell asleep in the mansion and never quite woke up. If aroused with the Dayshade in room 6, he can guide the party to a room between 4 and 6 where De Warrene keeps a key made of bone that can open any door.
2. Hugh De Warenne
Veronica de Warenne buried her baby Hugh in an urn and covered him in soil. Hugh's skin grew wooden, and his toes curled into gnarled roots. From his forehead, a small green shrubbery grew. Hugh hides in the pot under the small green shrubbery that comes out of the pot, moving about by sticking his long, viney arms out of the soil and dragging the whole pot along in a spider-like motion. He loves to hide in the shrub and scream “Boo!” at anyone who comes close.
3. La Passementerie Horrible
Running the Game:
Jean-Michel de Warenne is dead, stabbed in the back in his own study. Since everyone in the party was named in De Warrene’s will, the party has been summoned to his elaborate mansion to attend the will reading. The party starts in room 1. When the party travels to another room, roll a d6 for each star on their path. On a 1-2, the party has an encounter. Roll a d6 to determine the type of the encounter: 1-3 a challenge specific to the connection type (see below), 4-6 wandering encounter (see wandering encounter table.).
Map:
 |
| Art by Ian Miller |
Connections:
The color of each line represents how the two rooms are connected. Each method of travel presents its own challenges.
Purple—Rooftops.
Between the countless gables and steeples, between the gargoyles and the relief sculptures, it is possible to walk out on the roofs of the mansion. The abyss yawns below.
Rooftop challenges:
1. Roofs that slope dangerously—impossible to cross without a skill test.
2. Gusts of wind belching up from the abyss—test luck to avoid a random item of the party’s inventory to blow away
3. Vertigo attack—test luck or suffer -1 to all rolls for d3 hours.
Yellow—Elevator
An old-fashioned elevator operated by hand. Rickety.
Elevator Challenges:
1. Cord snaps—catch yourself or falll down to room 8 or 5, taking severe fall damage (as large beast)
2. Frightening voices—they are just trapped fragments of old arguments. Best to ignore them. Anything the voices say are lies.
3. Half-floor. The elevator opens to reveal a half-floor between the real levels of the mansion. The half-floor is a dark, unlit maze of empty grey rooms larger than the mansion itself. A minotaur lives here, only wanting escape and death Skill 10 Stamina 23 Armour 2 Initiative 3 Damage as Axe.
Green—Hallways
Thick green carpeting muffles steps. The hallways are lined with exquisite paintings made by Beryl.
Hallway Challenges:
1. One of the paintings is too beautiful. Must pass a test to stop looking at it. The painting blocks the way forward.
2. Lost! Pass a test to avoid circling back to Room 1.
3. In the beginning of her career, Beryl (Room 5) painted a likeness of De Warenne so excellent that it took all of Warenne's kindness and humanity, leaving only his ruthlessness and pride. The portrait, unable to face the cruelty of the real de Warenne left its original frame travelling from picture to picture, and can occasionally be spotted amongst the landscapes. The portrait wants to be taken to De Warenne's body and released so that he can reanimate the corpse.
Room Key:
1. Legal office
Stacks of books, boxes, and papers surround a simple wooden desk lit by a green lamp. A legal whip, Bertram, is here, sent by Rotier (see wandering encounter 5) to organize papers, but does not know anything about the will. He advises the party to seek out De Rotier.
• Wooden Desk—There is a fish bowl underneath a stack of papers. The fish inside, Mortimer, cannot speak, but is a chess grand master.
•Papers—The bybroduct of several decades of suits and countersuits. Land deals, artichoke holdings, tulip bulb futures, etc.
•Leather chairs—green faux leather
•Legal textbooks—A successful test shows that these textbooks are nonsense.
2. Knotted room
2. Lost! Pass a test to avoid circling back to Room 1.
3. In the beginning of her career, Beryl (Room 5) painted a likeness of De Warenne so excellent that it took all of Warenne's kindness and humanity, leaving only his ruthlessness and pride. The portrait, unable to face the cruelty of the real de Warenne left its original frame travelling from picture to picture, and can occasionally be spotted amongst the landscapes. The portrait wants to be taken to De Warenne's body and released so that he can reanimate the corpse.
Room Key:
1. Legal office
Stacks of books, boxes, and papers surround a simple wooden desk lit by a green lamp. A legal whip, Bertram, is here, sent by Rotier (see wandering encounter 5) to organize papers, but does not know anything about the will. He advises the party to seek out De Rotier.
• Wooden Desk—There is a fish bowl underneath a stack of papers. The fish inside, Mortimer, cannot speak, but is a chess grand master.
•Papers—The bybroduct of several decades of suits and countersuits. Land deals, artichoke holdings, tulip bulb futures, etc.
•Leather chairs—green faux leather
•Legal textbooks—A successful test shows that these textbooks are nonsense.
2. Knotted room
Hugh (wandering encounter 2) mischievously strung a knotted web of ropes over an otherwise normal study. Reeks of hemp. 2-in-6 chance Veronica bird is here (see wandering encounter 1).
•Ropes—Ordinary hemp ropes. It is easy enough to cross the criss-cross pattern even without a skill check, but significantly harder to do so without touching the ropes.
•Feathers—multicolored and muppet-y from the Veronica bird. Obviously dyed chicken feathers to anyone who knows anything about birds.
3. Nursery
Salamanders and teddy bears stare disapprovingly from peeling wallpaper. Toys and games litter the floor quite helter skelter. A crying noise can be heard coming from the crib in the center of the room.
•Crib—A bundle of tightly-bound rags are the source of the crying. Anyone disturbing the bundle is pulled head first into a warm and soft place. A tunnel back up to the nursery can be seen overhead, but the air inside the dimension is thick and gluey, making climbing difficult.
•Toys—Stuffed animals with glowering, stern faces; games of chutes and ladders with disturbing illustrations; whirligigs that don't spin; jack in the box (turning the crank imparts a feeling of dread. If the crank is turned enough for the device to “pop,” the user’s face is permanently painted like a clown); and a rocking horse ( The rocking horse rides backwards, forwards, or sideways through time, but cannot physically be moved. When used, 2-in-6 chance the horse attacks with flaming mane and terrible form. Skill 9 Stamina 15 Initiative 2 Damage as modest beast)
4. Bedroom
There are two gas lamps to either side of the double bed that dominates the room. Even though the lamps burn with a hot blue light, darkness still swallows the room. The fire inside the lamps flickers unusually loudly and there is a metallic scent in the air.
•Ropes—Ordinary hemp ropes. It is easy enough to cross the criss-cross pattern even without a skill check, but significantly harder to do so without touching the ropes.
•Feathers—multicolored and muppet-y from the Veronica bird. Obviously dyed chicken feathers to anyone who knows anything about birds.
3. Nursery
Salamanders and teddy bears stare disapprovingly from peeling wallpaper. Toys and games litter the floor quite helter skelter. A crying noise can be heard coming from the crib in the center of the room.
•Crib—A bundle of tightly-bound rags are the source of the crying. Anyone disturbing the bundle is pulled head first into a warm and soft place. A tunnel back up to the nursery can be seen overhead, but the air inside the dimension is thick and gluey, making climbing difficult.
•Toys—Stuffed animals with glowering, stern faces; games of chutes and ladders with disturbing illustrations; whirligigs that don't spin; jack in the box (turning the crank imparts a feeling of dread. If the crank is turned enough for the device to “pop,” the user’s face is permanently painted like a clown); and a rocking horse ( The rocking horse rides backwards, forwards, or sideways through time, but cannot physically be moved. When used, 2-in-6 chance the horse attacks with flaming mane and terrible form. Skill 9 Stamina 15 Initiative 2 Damage as modest beast)
4. Bedroom
There are two gas lamps to either side of the double bed that dominates the room. Even though the lamps burn with a hot blue light, darkness still swallows the room. The fire inside the lamps flickers unusually loudly and there is a metallic scent in the air.
•Lamps—They are unusually hot. Damage as jolt spell if touched.
•Bed—The sheets are stained with blood.
•Closet—The ghost of Mary De Warrene, Jean-Michel’sfirst wife (whom he himself murdered), hides in this closet behind a large fur coat. She promises her eyes (poppies that grant +1 second sight) to anyone who can bring her baby back from room 3. Skill 6 Stamina 7 Initiative 1 Damage as Knife (from her long, green fingernails. If she rolls a 5+ on a damage roll, test luck or become poisoned as per poison spell in addition to normal damage)
5. Artist's studio
Unfinished canvases lean against the white walls marked with splotches of color. The scent of turpentine and toil. Hundreds of paintings line the walls of the mansion. They were all painted by Beryl Warner, who lives in this room. 2-in-6 chance Hughis here (see wandering encounter 2), taunting Beryl to madness. Skill 6 Stamina 10 Initiative 1 Damage as club (from her quite large brush)
6. Herbarium
The humid air of the herbarium is oddly cold, so it sticks to the skin like fog. The air smells sticky and sweet. The herbs are mostly dead.
•Herbs—the majority are dead kitchen-herb plants, but a suitable skill finds that one of the herbs is golden oregano. Nurse it back to health and eat its leaves to gain +1 in a random spell. A clever botanist could also find Dayshade, a berry that will wake any sleeping person.
7. The Darkroom
A throbbing red led casts shadows over the old photography supplies. A strong chemical smell wafts from the basin in a corner of the room. A black casket was taken here, apparently for a photograph, but then left.
•Photography supplies—An old camera, sundry chemicals, and 3 enchanted flash bulbs (squeeze to function as Flash spell. Only works once.)
•Casket—Jean-Michel’s body inside, forgotten.
8. The Study
De Warenne's dried blood stains the oaken desk where he was murdered. It runs down the desk to the plush green carpet. There are many books and uncomfortable chairs, but, for the most part, the books are blank—just for show. A large snake head sticks out of a hole in the wall. The door leading to room 9 is locked.
• Chairs—Leather. One has wings and can fly (pilot check to take off and land without crashing horribly, however)
•Snake head—The body of the massive two-headed garter snake winds around inside the walls of the mansion. The head at this end, Ari, promised not to give the key to anyone except the rightful owners of the snowglobe (the will in room 10 is proof enough for her). Ari hates the other head, Arnold, and wants him dead. (Skill 10 Stamina 12 Armour 1 Damage as Large beast)
9. Memorarium
The place where De Warenne kept all the innocent, nostalgic items that remind him of who he once was. The room is circular, lined with shelves full of junk.
•Trinkets—A load of junk. Old comic books, bicycles, practical jokes, etc.
•The Snow Globe— Shake during combat to look at the top three cards of the stack and put them back in any order. Sleeping with the globe grants +1 luck for the rest of the day. Break to create a terrible blizzard lasting 1d3 weeks.
10. The Armoury
De Warenne collected around twenty historical suits of armour. Most are utterly ridiculous, not designed for humans, or broken, but some are still usable. The other head of the two-headed garter snake comes out of the northern wall.
•Armour—of the twenty suits of armour, three are of particular interest. If the party chooses to investigate the armour roll below:
1. The Burning Helm: Ignite this helm on fire at will. Fearsome, but painful. +1 Armour when activated, but take -3 stamina per round.
2. Hempen Armour: Counts as light armour. Unbearably itchy. Can be unwound to produce up to 30’ of magically unbreakable rope.
3. Porcelain armour: Incredibly delicate, finely made armour. +1 to Callous Strike spell. Counts as Heavy armour, but breaks if the wearer ever takes more than 3 damage. The ashes of the De Warenne family, long stored in the armour, have congealed into a pudding that will attack anyone who disturbs it. Skill 5 Stamina 8 Armour 0 (3 if they are using the armour) Initiative 2.
•Snake head—The other end of the two-headed garter snake comes out of the wall here. This head, named Arnold, haughtily explains that he was given De Warrene’s will, and says that it is too important to give away to anyone but Rotier (see wandering encounter 5). Arnold is easily flattered. He hates Ari and wants her dead. (Skill 10 Stamina 12 Armour 1 Damage as Large beast)
•The Will—If obtained from Arnold in some way, the will lists the party as the owners of the snow globe. It lists Beryl as the rightful owner of the mansion and the family fortune.
Wandering encounters
1. Richard the Somnambulist
Richard, an old business partner, fell asleep in the mansion and never quite woke up. If aroused with the Dayshade in room 6, he can guide the party to a room between 4 and 6 where De Warrene keeps a key made of bone that can open any door.
•Skill 8 Stamina 14 Initiative 1 Damage as sword. Can cast Sleep.
2. Hugh De Warenne
• Skill 7 Stamina 10 Initiative 4 Armour 1 Damage as small beast
A rope knotted into an elaborate tassel floats like a jellyfish down the carpeted halls of the mansion. It is as big as a man's chest and smelling of old hemp. It buzzes ominously. The worn fringes of the passementrie are laced with the terrible ennui.
• Skill 7 Stamina 16 Initiative 1 Armour 1 Damage as per the table below:
4. Jerome the Butler
In his left pocket, Jerome keeps the golden knife still stained with the blood from when he stabbed Jean Michelto death, and a packet of deadly poison. Jarvis had a long love affair with Veronica, who convinced him to kill Jean-Michel.
De Warrene's faithful lawyer (and lover) lost most of his corporeal form in a tragic litigation accident. All that remains of him now is his fake golden leg, his shadow (dark as a bottle of spilled ink), and his thin, horn rimmed glasses (+1 litigation skill if worn). He knows where the will is located, but will extract heavy payment for knowledge of it. Wants the party to forfeit the snow globe to him.
* The fringes of the passementrie sting their victim, inflicting terrible ennui. The afflicted find themselves sitting and staring at patches of drab wall paper or cracks in faded plaster. They will move to avoid danger, but otherwise will not attack. The only known antivenom is suitable light entertainment.
In his left pocket, Jerome keeps the golden knife still stained with the blood from when he stabbed Jean Michelto death, and a packet of deadly poison. Jarvis had a long love affair with Veronica, who convinced him to kill Jean-Michel.
• Skill 4 Stamina 6 Initiative 2 Damage as knife
5. Edward Rotier and 2d3 Legal Whips
•Skill 7 Stamina 10 Initiative 3 Damage as Whip. Can cast Illusion and Mirror self.
Legal Whips
Snivelling, survile creatures mutated by exposure to legal documents. They carry mounds of paper and staplers that they use as a club.
Snivelling, survile creatures mutated by exposure to legal documents. They carry mounds of paper and staplers that they use as a club.
• Skill 5 Stamina 6 Initiative 1 Damage as club
6. The Veronica Bird
Veronica, De Warenne's wife, never leaves her rainbow-colored, muppet-like bird costume. The costum has become merged to her skin. Will try to convince the party to kill Beryl. She has forgotten much of human language, primarily speaking in squawks and whistles.
• Skill 5 Stamina 10 Armour 1 Initiative 2 Damage as modest beast
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