Illusions

[DangerousPuhson]

Just needs some cosmetic changes - the theme of the encounter is sound. The crunch could stand to be a bit more condensed (you know how the all-reviewing-one feels about overly-lengthy entries).

How about a giant, pig-sized rat instead of a pig? Still has that sickly, infestation vibe. Its followers would then be were-rats, and it could talk through the little rats that gather around its pole.

Or how about the head is a sprite-like pixie creature impaled to the ground rather violently, but because it's possessed it shows no signs of suffering and speaks in a very un-pixie voice. The bonus here is that good-hearted players will try to relieve the pixie suffering, which means they're more likely to touch it with their hands...

 

[squeen]

Just needs some cosmetic changes - the theme of the encounter is sound. The crunch could stand to be a bit more condensed (you know how the all-reviewing-one feels about overly-lengthy entries).

I am going to have another crack at shortening it. Good call.

How about a giant, pig-sized rat instead of a pig? Still has that sickly, infestation vibe. Its followers would then be were-rats, and it could talk through the little rats that gather around its pole.

No chance then of me pulling off the elusive Swine Trifecta then (see previous pig).
But Beoric did have a great point about how the familiar feels safe. That's a universal lesson we can all mull over.

Or how about the head is a sprite-like pixie creature impaled to the ground rather violently, but because it's possessed it shows no signs of suffering and speaks in a very un-pixie voice. The bonus here is that good-hearted players will try to relieve the pixie suffering, which means they're more likely to touch it with their hands...

There's another sprite-like creature I've got in mind for the island. But, y'all are very welcome to take this and twisted for your own home use.

As always, thank you very much for the helpful feedback/discussion. I can't see my own Achilles' Heel(s).

 

[squeen]

An attempt to draw a map of the next likely adventure location:

...a natural feature called Dragonshead Ford...for (I hope) obvious reason.



The map turned into a just perspective drawing because top-down waterfalls suck.

I got the vanishing point totally wrong, so squashed it vertically in GIMP --- helped a bit.

Kinda sucks. Shadows/lighting is inconsistent. Too small. Boring viewpoint. Etc.
Maybe it can be saved (or redrawn).

Hopefully obvious to them it's rocky on one side and forest on the other.

...and that an army crossing anywhere other than at the ford would be problematic.

Probably needs some figures in for scale.

Ugh. Trees. (Need shadows).

I was printing out this section of my campaign book yesterday and confirmed that this figure from July 2020 (above) was the SUCK, so I started to layout a redo.

While it may sit fallow for another yet another 4 years, slow and (un)steady progress wins the race, right? (Maybe?)

Still difficult for me: falling water (needs a parabolic arc?) & statues that are obvious stone and not grey flesh.

Incidentally, the older image is when it really slapped me in the face I had better start learning proper perspective drawing techniques. While I only approximated it roughly in the new layout, at least these days I have a clue on "the maths" when it's time to do it properly.

The players have crossed over this water feature about 6 times in the last four years and still haven't found the hidden treasure vault.