Stuart Draws

Pond Road Map

This month I've released paper miniatures for two Player Characters - a Warlock Hexblade and an Arcane Trickster. I also posted both the Basic Bullywugs and the more Advanced Bullywugs. To go along with those minis I'm releasing my first hand drawn battle map that you can print to create a small 8x8 area suitable for an encounter in the swamp!

It's not easy, being green. This bonus set of paper miniatures lets you add some more advanced Bullywugs to your game table. "Some types of these creatures are more intelligent than others. The intelligent groups tend to dwell in caves or deserted human habitations, and they will usually have armour, shields and various forms of weapons (use the example of human bandits for arms and armour). The less advanced bullywugshate their more intelligent fellows and war upon them."

I’ve started making paper miniatures again!

This is one of the new paper minis I’ve posted this month on my StuartDraws Patreon. The lady adventurers were one of the most popular sets I've made and I've had a number of requests for some more characters to add to this collection. In addition to the version I made for my backers you can also download the free version.

If you like my work and would like to support me making more paper miniatures and other rpg stuff, please check out my Patreon and tell you friends about the free paper minis I’m making.

Certain that he knows where he’s going, Dolph gets himself Belladonna, Gokk and Brogfast lost before leaving the forest at the edge of Lake Zarovich. There they see a man in a boat throwing something overboard and decide to wait until he comes back to shore to ask him about it. Once the man, Bluto, is back on dry land they attempt to gently ask him about what he was doing, which involves shouting, slaps in the face and a punch to the belly. He agrees to show them what was in the bag if they accompany him back to town for a drink.

Back in Vallaki, Faelynn uses her Bardic persuasive powers to get Bluto to confess it was one of the Vistani in the sack. Faelynn knocks him out cold with a critical hit punch in the face.

Keora casts sending to contacting the Vistani and make arrangements to bring the murderous Bluto to them to deal out justice.

Before leaving along the Old Svalich Road towards the Vistani camp at the Tser Pool the party investigate the toyshop in town, and Pituitar meets Günther at the stockyard.

The party rests in Vallaki before briefly exploring the town the next day. The dwarven warrior women, Keora and Taryn, meet Gunther a tall blonde haired man with dark skin at the stock yard. He agrees to loan them a horse and wagon for a day in exchange for the barrel of beer that Taryn has been carrying with her.  The dwarves convince the rest of the party that they should head back to try and save their comrades who were carried away in the black carriage. The band agrees and sets out to head back through the woods to where their friends were carried off. On the journey they encounter a skeletal horse and rider and the adventurers on foot rush ahead and quickly dispatch the rider, leaving the horse to wander off into the woods. Meanwhile Keora casts Sending and discovers that Dora is waiting in the Vistani camp after jumping from the carriage before being carried into the castle.

Early that afternoon the band is reunited with their friend. Dora tells them that Bastle the halfling didn’t jump from the carriage and must be somewhere in the castle now. After visiting with the travelling people the band realizes they have stayed longer that they intended and quickly start back towards Vallaki -- nervous that they will not make it there by nightfall.

On their way they once again see the black carriage, and incredibly 2 of the band decide to creep up and climb on the horses despite the warnings from their companions. To few people’s surprise, except perhaps the 2 on the horses, the door to the carriage slams shut and the horses begin a wild gallop up towards the castle -- once again taking 2 of the band with them.

There is a debate as to what to do next but the Clerics and Paladin convince the party they can’t leave their friends behind again... and so as the sun sets the band reluctantly starts the climb up the steep mountain road towards Castle Ravenloft.

🎃The party gathers together for the burial of the Burgomaster and the Priest’s son before setting out to take Ireena to Vallaki. 

Taking a shortcut the arrive at a Vistani camp and hear stories about Strahd and the Wizard who challenged him. The old fortune teller reads their cards and reveals that she has an item they may need hidden in her camp – the sun sword! Pressing on the heroes pass a black carriage drawn by 2 black horses waiting with an open door near the road leading up to the castle. While most of the adventurers stayed clear Bastle and Dora creep inside to look for treasure. Drastrix, the Lizardman, tries to jump on the horses not realizing that horses are easily startled – especially by giant lizard people. Drastrix is thrown from the horses as the carriage door slams shut and Bastle and Dora are carried up to the castle. After some debate between the party about what to do they eventually decide they must press on to Vallaki. As they are nearly at the town their party is attacked by the minions of Strahd. A vampire spawn, 4 werewolves and swarms of bats descend on the group as the vampire demands the adventurers turn over Ireena. The werewolves are unhurt by unsilvered weapons, but the combined magical might of the group along with good teamwork defeats the attackers. The heroes quicken their pace and finally arrive at Vallaki having safely delivered Ireena away from the village of Barovia.

The XP rewards were: Attending the Halloween Party – 50 xp Defeating the Bats, Vampire Spawn & Werewolves – 400 xp Bury the Burgomaster – 100 xp Have Fortune Read – 100 xp Take Ireena to Vallaki – 100 xp Find the Sunsword – 300 xp

Anyone wearing a costume got x2 normal xp.

Anyone dressed as their character (which was most players) got x4 normal xp.

Here are the XP Totals for this week:

Bastle, 3rd Level Halfling Rogue – 2,200 xp Belladonna, 5th Level Elf Fighter (Eldritch Knight) – 10,960 xp Denna, 4th Level Human Cleric – 5,813 xp Dolph, 5th Level Human Fighter (Battle Master) – 9,640 xp Dora, 4th Level Half-Elf Bard – 3,463 xp Drastrix, 4th Level Lizardfolk Ranger – 5,300 xp Eldon, 5th Level Gnome Druid (Circle of the Moon) – 9,621 xp Faelynn, 5th Level Elf Bard (College of Lore) – 10,346 xp Flora, 4th Level Gnome Druid – 5,304 xp Glim, 6th Level Gnome Wizard (Conjurer) – 14,072 xp Gokk, 3rd Level Half-Orc Barbarian – 1,658 xp Jemna, 5th Level Dwarf Cleric – 6,535 xp Keora, 5th Level Dwarf Cleric – 7,232 xp Laura, 4th Level Human Wizard – 6,183 xp Lo Kag, 4th Level Goliath Fighter – 4,850 xp Opal, 4th Level Elf Wizard – 4,730 xp Ori, 4th Level Triton Rogue – 4,500 xp Pituitar, 5th Level Elf Fighter (Champion) – 9,050 xp Popshot, 5th Level Elf Rogue – 6,725 xp Quinn, 4th Level Human Wizard – 4,823 xp Robinia, 4th Level Human Ranger (Hunter) – 6,156 xp Taryn, 4th Level Dwarf Fighter – 5,300 xp Thistle, 3rd Level Elf Rogue – 1,050 xp Thokk, 4th Level Half-Orc Monk – 4,750 xp Trikis, 5th Level Half-Elf Druid (Circle of the Land) – 8,031 xp Umara, 4th Level Human Sorcerer – 5,120 xp

Bastle, Gokk and Thistle are now 3rd Level

Denna, Dora, Drastrix, Flora, Laura, Lo Kag, Opal, Ori, Quinn, Robinia, Taryn, Thokk, and Umara are now 4th Level

Dolph, Eldon, Faelynn, Jemna, Keora, Pituitar, Popshot, and Trikis are now 5th Level

Despite Brogfast the Paladin’s encouragement to “stay together!” the party splits up in the tunnels beneath the haunted house. The wounded Gokk and Keora are attacked by Shadows while the rest of the group battles to free Denna from the door her hand has become stuck to — a door that reveals itself to be a hungry mimic.

Gokk, Vetoo, and Quinn are all knocked out by the Shadows, but the rest of the group is able to fight off the undead and save their comrades from death.

Brogfast, 2nd Level Half-Orc Paladin - 508 xp Denna, 3rd Level Human Cleric - 1613 xp Dora, 3rd Level Half-Elf Bard - 1263 xp Gokk, 2nd Level Half-Orc Barbarian - 608 xp Keora, 4th Level Dwarf Cleric - 3032 xp Laura, 3rd Level Human Wizard - 1983 xp Neko, 4th Level Tabaxi Paladin - 2713 xp Quinn, 3rd Level Human Wizard - 2623 xp Vetoo, 2nd Level Human Fighter - 358 xp

The party battle a vampire spawn beneath the old church. The fiend grabs Belladonna and nearly drains her of blood before Faelynn drives it off with her Dissonant Whispers spell. Glim blasts it with a pair of Lightning Bolts as it rushes past the party out of the cellar and hides somewhere in the church. Knowing it will regenerate there is a desperate rush to find its hiding spot. Eldon spies it crouched beneath a pew moments before it lunges out at him. The heroes converge on the monster and finally finish it off just it time to save Eldon.