Hello friends! The Pickled Dragon has been in the midst of a whirlwind of activity. We collaborated with the Architects of Destruction, writing the Lost Tomb of Lord Longcloud to support the Rampage Kickstarter. Working with artists, Rob Shaffer and Rachael Allen, we have been working to give the Days of Blight series an artistic upgrade. We have finished work on the first book and are currently working on the art for the second book. Lastly, work on the Monstrous Lexicon is nearing completion! Featuring 68 original monsters and 4 new playable races, the Monstrous Lexicon will be a must have supplement for all D&D 5e groups!

 

The Architect’s of Destruction and I are discussing the possibility of publishing this adventure but for now it is available to anyone who backed the Rampage Kickstarter.  If you are interested in the adventure, drop me an email and we can discuss.  In the meantime, below is the introduction to the adventure. 

In the ancient days of the Ithillia, Owen Longcloud, a dwarf of noble blood, led an expedition to settle the mountain that would eventually bear his name. The early days of the Longcloud colony were a battle for survival. While iron ore was plentiful, precious metals and stones were virtually non-existent. With supplies nearly exhausted and the dwarves dangerously close to starvation, Lord Longcloud set out with three of his closest friends and delved deep into the mountain in search of a miracle that would save the colony.

The Longcloud dwarves waited two weeks for the expedition to return and were prepared to abandon Mount Longcloud when Owen reappeared alone. He was starving and near death but clutched to his chest he held a diamond the size of his fist. Owen recounted a tale of battling a deep dragon and losing his companions to its fiery breath before he finally slayed the beast. Their sacrifice and Owen’s bravery ensured the future of the colony as the dragon had been guarding veins of gold and precious stones so large that they were beyond imagination.

With the wealth of the mountain secured, the dwarves now had to find a way of opening trade across the wild lands of Ithillia. The maze-like canyons and soaring peaks of Mount Longcloud made the twelve-hour trek to the mountain perilous. Seeking easier access to the treasures of Mount Longcloud, merchants and traders soon founded the city of Lud and forged a serviceable road up to the dwarven halls. Virtually overnight, Lud exploded into a center of trade as its proximity to the dwarves allowed wealth to pour from the mountain.

Lord Owen Longcloud ruled for nearly two hundred years until his death. The generations that followed built colossal monuments in his honor both within and around Ithillia. Of all the breath-taking works the dwarves built to honor their dead king, none were as revered as Lord Owen Longcloud’s tomb. Hundreds of people of all races visited the tomb daily to pay homage to the dwarf who had brought prosperity to so many. The deeds of Owen Longcloud transformed the lands of Ithillia from an inhospitable borderland into a nation of legendary wealth. Tragically, the meteoric rise of the dwarves ended in a single night several centuries after Owen’s death. To this day, what really happened that night remains a mystery.

Within Lud, the dark day that Mount Longcloud fell silent is known as Shadows Eve. It began like any other, with merchant caravans making the long trek down from the mountain to Lud where their goods could be shipped to the lands beyond Ithillia. As the dwarves trickled back up the mountain they were met with a peculiar sight. The gates to Mount Longcloud were sealed, ramparts and windows closed off, and not a single fire burned from the usually vibrant mountain.

As night fell, the bewildered dwarven merchants had little choice but to set camp – any attempt to enter Mount Longcloud or signal their brethren failed. Even more unsettling was the stillness of the mountain. Not a sound came forth from dwarf, bird, or beast. As the dwarves huddled nervously in the dark, the sound of plodding footsteps broke the silence. Expecting to be greeted by dwarves, the merchants were horrified as rank upon rank of undead shambled into their camps. They realized what had happened to their countrymen.

Those few that survived Shadows Eve fled to Lud to recount their tale. Since that night, nearly three hundred years have passed and Mount Longcloud has remained silent. Few now take the merchant’s trail from Lud to the mountain and those that do often never return. The Time of Shadows has been hard on the people of Lud. With the flow of riches cut off, the village has turned into a forgotten backwater town. It’s now largely comprised of castoff dregs from other nations, and the dwarven descendants of those who once dwelt in the mountain.

However, the mystery of Shadows Eve looms large. Countless adventurers, treasure hunters, and dwarves seeking answers to the fall of their once mighty civilization have braved the rugged hike up the old merchants’ road. While most are never seen again, those who do return speak of the canyons and crags being infested with legions of undead dwarves.

Days of Blight, the best selling 5e horror adventure on the DM’s Guild, has received an amazing artistic overhaul from artists Rob Shaffer and Rachael Allen.  Rachael overhauled the cover with this horrid Night Hag.  I love what she has done to highlight the insidious nature of a hag over its evil cauldron.  Rob worked on the interior art and did not disappoint!  Just in time for Halloween, Days of Blight Book 1 is ready and will soon also be available in hard copy as well as digital.  The artistic overhaul of Days of Blight Book 2 is underway and will be ready soon!

I have been posting several previews to the Monstrous Lexicon on my Instagram and Facebook pages for over a month.  Below are a few of the monsters you can look forward to seeing in the upcoming release.  More to come on the Monstrous Lexicon soon!