Marina takes Cleve and Mariah to the Stepdaughters of Chiron council building. Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 Scene 11 Scene 12 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Tric duels Dame Merriver. Scene 14 Note: This episode uses our Fight Night rules. Find them here. GM Notes The Battle for Wesnoth video game inspired a lot of specific events and NPCs in our tabletop campaign. I leaned heavily on the closing events of the Eastern Invasion campaign, even quoting from the epilogue where Gweddry and Owaec are granted …

Some among the Stepdaughters of Chiron prove less easy to get along with than craws are. Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Tric and Heppa talk with Dame Merriver about threats to the kingdom… and her illicit weapon shipments. Scene 13 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit t…

Mariah, Cleve, and Marina visit with some farmers on the outskirts of Stepdaughters of Chiron territory. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 GM Notes The description of the farm in this episode is actually inspired by alter eco chocolate bars. The inside of the packaging has a labeled graphic of regenerative agriculture in practice, which we thought fi…

Sir Anyc shows Tric and Heppa around and presents them to Dame Merriver. Scene 11 Scene 12 GM Notes Dame Merriver is a character we’ve had floating around our campaign from way, way back. All the rumors and theories about her is what inspired me to give her the special ability Ominous Reputation. She also has a theme song in my campaign playlist, w…

The team debates how to handle the remaining demon craw. Scene 14 Scene 15 GM Notes In humans, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a crucial treatment for situations like menopause or gender transition. Personally, HRT helped me become myself for the first time. For Checkerboard, the proposed HRT regimen might help her undo the Progenitor abuse…

Tric and Heppa learn of some tensions within Terwaen’s household… and within her people. Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 GM Notes There are a number of mounted units in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. In preparation for this arc, I reviewed their descriptions and artwork for inspiration. Terwaen and Anyc are Knights, and Rugg and Inyc are Palad…

The team deals with the repercussions of Dr. Citali’s errant pistol shot. Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Tric and Heppa are welcomed to Terwaen’s home. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org. Need context? Jump to…

Demon craws attack. Scene 10 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

As they approach Terwaen’s village, Tric and Heppa befriend a knight after observing a duel. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Heir to the Throne. There are also references to Northern Rebirth. Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found he…

The Progenitor research facility holds a few surprises. Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Heppa and Tric study Mal-Vektor’s staff—which is almost as dangerous as the man himself. Scene 12 Scene 13 Scene 14 GM Notes We won’t be seeing Ash and Aglana again in this campaign—at least not together as a couple. So I’ll take this opportunity to fill in some of the backstory that informs their behavior, but that didn’t get stated openly at the …

Their new friends lead Mariah, Cleve, and Marina to a Progenitor ruin. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

The elves extract what information they can from their necromancer prisoner. Scene 11 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org. Need c…

Mariah, Cleve, and Marina face some unexpectedly tough negotiators. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

A necromancer joins the battle against the elves. Scene 10 GM Notes As usual, I got my inspiration for NPCs from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. I prepped Giant Spider and Yeti encounters, since those are units found in caves and mountains. I also wanted to broaden the range of undead my players had to deal with, and so I turned to a unit line w…

Data Haven enacts its plans to slow down Morgan’s Planetary Security Force. Scene 19 Scene 20 Scene 21 Scene 22 Scene 23 Scene 24 (Letter to Fritz) Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

When Tric, Heppa, and Ash return to the scene of their last fight, they find that the situation has grown more dire. Scene 9 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Pro…

The Council of Datajacks deliberates on action against Morgan Industries and alliance with the Stepdaughters of Chiron. Scene 16 Scene 17 Scene 18 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Before reengaging the undead threat in the caves, Tric and Heppa develop a plan with Ash and Aglana. Scene 6 Scene 7 Scene 8 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Pro…

Political talks continue in Data Haven. Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 Scene 14 Scene 15 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

At their request, Ash takes Tric and Heppa big game hunting for a giant spider, but the cave system holds more significant dangers than just webs and venom. Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), license…

Cleve and Mariah begin recruiting for the new Data Haven council and sounding people out on how to stop Morgan’s Planetary Security Force. Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 GM Notes You might notice how often characters in this arc talk about “vendettas.” In the Alpha Centauri video games, factions don’t “declare war.” To fit the sci…

Heppa deviates from Ash’s carefully chosen path as he leads her and Tric up into the Heart Mountains. Scene 1 Scene 2 GM Notes While preparing for this arc, I studied up on the Mountain Travel section in Skill Adventures by David Shamp, available from the Genesys Foundry on DriveThruRPG. It gave me some ideas for ways different skills could come in…

Cleve makes deliveries around Data Haven while Mariah recovers from his injuries. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Extended family helps Heppa with her corruption and Tric with taking on the mantle of his noble heritage. Scene 13 Scene 14 GM Notes As usual, many NPCs in this arc are derived from units in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Ash is an Avenger, and with Ruthiel, we get our first Shyde, the ultimate unit in the Druid line in the mainline game. User-…

In which the dangers of siege worms are made completely clear. Scene 33 Scene 34 Scene 35 Scene 36 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Heppa seeks guidance from Soliana, an elf steeped in knowledge of fae magic. Scene 11 Scene 12 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.or…

On the way back to Data Haven, the group comes across some ominous remains. Scene 30 Scene 31 Scene 32 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Tric and Heppa present the needs of the Grey Woods woses to the most prestigious elvish council of all, the Ka’lian. Scene 10 GM Notes This whole episode with the Ka’lian is very much indebted to A War of Life and Death by Mystical_Warlord. In that non-mainline campaign for the Battle for Wesnoth video game, Scenario 13 sees the primary character, …

Reunited, Cleve and Mariah patch each other up and share information on their new contacts. Scene 26 Scene 27 Scene 28 Scene 29 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Tric and Heppa enjoy a dance party with the young elves of Wesmere and then cookies with their grandparents. Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 GM Notes The special items gifted to Tric and Heppa were created with input from the players on what type of item they were interested in. Tric’s player wanted something stealth-related, and since the shadow ring turn…

Mariah and Cleve find different ways out of the dome. Scene 22 Scene 23 Scene 24 Scene 25 GM Notes It was a spur of the moment decision to have Fritz be the same character as Morris. The tailor was intended as a single-scene NPC, but Mariah took a liking to him. This was the perfect place to bring him back and showcase a consensual encounter. But w…

Tric and Heppa get acquainted with an unexpected new relative. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 GM Notes In this episode, we meet Ash, an NPC who holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons I’ll get into more some time in the future. But for now, I’ll share that Ash sneaking around Carcyn on the way to the Grey Woods without being spotted by h…

An unexpected additional rescue opportunity presents itself. Scene 18 Scene 19 Scene 20 Scene 21 GM Notes The University of Chiron in our tabletop game is a mix of University of Planet and Lord’s Believers from the Alpha Centauri video game. This melding of science and religion was itself inspired by the Supremacy affinity in Beyond Earth. Supremac…

Newly arrived in Wesmere, Tric and Heppa settle in and meet Neia, an ambitious young shaman. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 GM Notes In this episode, we meet Neia, a character from the User-Made Content campaign A War of Life and Death, and the information she shares with Tric and Heppa is basically a summary of that campaign. We also get our first look a…

Mariah and Arx search for a way out of the Hospital for Experimental Miasma Treatment. Scene 15 Scene 16 Scene 17 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Bruised and battered, Tric and Heppa leave the Grey Woods for Wesmere, bearers of the woses’ call for aid. Scene 15 Scene 16 Scene 17 GM Notes The first Wesmere elf we meet, Filvarel, is a minor character from Scene 13 of A War of Life and Death by Mystical_Warlord. This user-made campaign has many more types of units than mainline Battle for Wesno…

Mariah gets Arx released from Dr. Bingyi Khan’s care. Scene 10 Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 Scene 14 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Society of Shadow remnants clash with Tric and Heppa deep in the Grey Woods. Scene 14 GM Notes This combat features more units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Donella, like Efa, is styled after the Bandit and was fighting alongside a Poacher. In the video game, the Bandit has a morningstar attack, while the Poacher has both a bow and a dagg…

Cleve and Mariah overcome physical and emotional challenges on their way to the hospital where Arx is imprisoned. Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Following the fight against Gaenyn, Tric and Heppa return to the Society of Shadow encampment to ensure no stragglers linger. Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part o…

Cleve and Mariah attract some unanticipated attention during the Planetfall Day festivities. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

The shadow mages launch their ambush… as do the elves and woses. Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 GM Notes One of the inspirations for setting our tabletop Wesnoth game in the aftermath of Mal-Ravanal’s war was me playing through A War of Life and Death, a User-Made Content campaign by Mystical_Warlord. It is set in a similar timeframe, and at the very end…

Mariah, Cleve, and Takuto enter the main dome of Morgan Industries. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!By Dicey Stories

Tric and Heppa gain further insight into forbidden magic and the corruption that the woses can sense in the Grey Woods. Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here. Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Bat…

Cleve, Mariah, and Takuto explore a Progenitor wreck. Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 Scene 14 Scene 15 GM Notes This is the first real look we have at Progenitor technology and design. In the Sid Meier’s Alien Crossfire expansion, these aliens have lost some of their technology and are relatively peers with the human factions. On our Chiron, however, w…

Ulf introduces Tric and Heppa to Gaenyn, the leader of the shadow mages, who has uncomfortable ideas about how he and the elves might collaborate. Scene 4 GM Notes Our Society of Shadow grew out of the shadow mages from the mainline campaign Liberty in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Gaenyn’s physical appearance is based on the artwork for Shado…