The Red Wolf – an Uncaged adventure of Irish myth (beginners welcome)
About the adventure
"A cairn built over nothing." Ominous way to describe a young girl's grave. As you pick your way through a particularly dense tangle of tree roots, you idly wonder—somewhat morbidly—what ever did become of the body. To slay the beastie, only to take its place haunting the village—and the beastie just comes back in a generation anyway? Not exactly the hero's fate you're gunning for here...gods, that really is a rather substantial paw print. The listing for this "wolf hunt" bounty sure left out a detail or three. Oh well; it's not like you can really afford to—...a whimper reaches your ears on the wind. Gods give ye strength—what's the girl want now? You're none too keen to look into those hollow eyes again. You turn—and feel the hair on your neck stand on end. The Red Wolf is an adventure from volume II of the critically-acclaimed Uncaged adventure anthology, this one drawing on Irish myth and folklore. Every character has a story—even the monsters. Uncaged subverts the tropes of female monsters of legend, and re-tells these stories interactively in D&D. Art composed using original photos by Chris Ensminger and Jr Korpa on Unsplash.
Meet the Game Master
4 years on StartPlaying
1241 games hosted
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Sets the Mood, Inclusive
Average response time: 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Ladies, gentlemen, and friends from beyond the binary—well met, and a pleasure to meet indeed! As you step inside, do please leave your boots at the door. All settled in? Then come, and picture with me the following… A group of four, clad in the colors of their order and armed with weapons of the Old World. They tread with caution through the decrepit remains of a once-proud public library—best to be wary of the new librarians. Or instead, imagine this—a devil-horned man and an angel-winged woman ready their suppressed handguns, stack up on either side of a door, and nod beneath the flickering fluorescent light. The point of no return is nigh—if the gods won’t act, they’ll handle it themselves. Or picture yet again—pandemonium! The lich-king has won, and skeleton warriors run amok in the streets! There’s no stopping them now—how will you survive? These unique worlds and more await at my table. Players new and experienced alike are welcome—the only requirement is a good attitude!
View Profile →Reviews (231)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Storytelling
Sets the Mood
Inclusive
Shhhh I've spent the last YEAR trying to "steal" this recipe so please, you didn't hear it from me. And since this is impossible to replicate you'll have to come over here and experience it yourselves anyway. The Fantabulous GM Pie Ingredients: 1 cup of technical expertise 1 heaping scoop of Dedication to World Building 2 tablespoons of Kindness and Patience A pinch of Chameleon-like NPC Mastery Served with a generous sprinkle of Player Creativity Instructions: Step 1: Start with a solid foundation of technical expertise. A Game Master should be well-versed in technical knowledge and rules, and Carson certainly is. He effortlessly navigates the rulebook as well as online interfaces like a seasoned chef with their favorite cookbook. Step 2: Add 1 heaping scoop of Dedication to World Building. As a GM, Carson doesn't just create a setting and call it a day, he pays attention to every last detail in order to cultivate an immersive experience for each adventure. From the period accurate type of armour, to thematic monsters, there are layers of excitement you'll sure to unfold (like when you bite down a perfect croissant.) Step 3: Blend in 2 tablespoons of Kindness and Patience. At Carson's table, I've encountered both seasoned players as well as folks who are trying TTRPG for the first time. I have been thoroughly impressed by the amount of patience he has since the first game I've played. Step 4: Then, add a pinch of Chameleon-like NPC Mastery. Something that's always astonished me was how Carson effortlessly... becomes a whole ensemble by himself. Billy Crudup would've been impressed. Step 5: Finally, when the pie is served, sprinkle in a generous dash of Player Creativity. Carson definitely understands that DnD is a collaborative storytelling experience, and has always encouraged and rewarded player creativity even if it means it might change existing plans drastically. For folks who enjoy D&D more as a combat/strategy game, you'll find that Carson's games are filled with challenging combats, but with an additional enhanced level of immersion. And for people who put more emphasis on narrative and role play, you're in for a treat because whether it's in a campaign or in a one shot, Carson has always encouraged a flair for the dramatic. It's rare being able to just role play amongst the party unprompted (especially with this platform just pairing up strangers) and yet I think our campaign has had many occasions like that, which I believe is a testament to what the GM has encouraged. Additional garnish: mythologies and complexity of morals The inspirations from mythologies and folklore, which, to be fair is probably what original drew me to Carson's games, is a unique feature at Carson's table. For those of you who share my passion for myths and fables, this will be a cherry on top. But even if you're not, the archetypal nature of mythologies and well as their timelessness adds quite a bit to the games themselves. The complexity of morals in those stories also make the narratives of the games more interesting than the more traditional "fight and loot" default of D&D.
I did a oneshot, 'A Crisis of Succession' with this DM, and oh my gosh, I had the best time I've ever had in a D&D game! I've had good and bad games, fun oneshots, fun campaigns, but seriously, this one took the cake for me. The plot evolved rapidly, the characters meshed well, the maps and pictures were vivid, and I was chewing my nails in genuine nervous excitement during the final part! Also, I want to say the emotional safety guidelines he has in his rules were a big big positive and helped me feel very safe playing with a bunch of strangers. A DM that's focused on the party having a fun time above all else is the best kind of DM, in my book.
I started a campaign recently with Carson, and also my first time playing online, and it’s been a great experience! Carson provides exceptional flavor to world and to NPC’s (along with amazing voices!), encourages player action, is great navigating/helping players the tabletop and working smoothly through the occasional player / technical issues that come up to keep the game flowing. It’s been a very welcoming/helpful game group and great start to playing online - so recommend all the stars!
Friendly and willing to help out and make suggestions. Pushes the group to be creative and add to the adventure. Combat is exhilarating due to how he pushes the players to engage in the situation as if time is very precious and running out, while giving people time to make good decisions. The music and voice acting really adds to the adventure.
Character creation
Creating your character
Characters will be level 5, and completed character sheets should be brought to the game. In-depth backstories are not required for this particular game—a set of traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws ought to be enough, as long as your character is willing to work together with others. A selection of pre-made characters is also available to choose from in Roll20.
Last-minute signups are welcome Check your Upcoming Adventures page after signing up for the info you need to play: https://startplaying.games/upcoming-adventures
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Voice communication will be handled through Discord, with Roll20 for visual aids. Beyond that, just bring your character sheet, imagination, and a good attitude! You'll find the info you need to get started on your adventure dashboard after signing up: https://startplaying.games/adventures New to StartPlaying? You can also get a $10 credit to play in this adventure by signing up for your website account using this link! https://startplaying.games/referral/60cacd9cc01e2400076180af
What Carson | Fabled Folklore Gaming brings to the table
The magic ✨ I also have the player resources books on D&D Beyond for character creation using official content, as well as a Google Drive folder full of official references and curated third-party publications for the homebrew aficionados.
Platforms used
Safety
How Carson | Fabled Folklore Gaming creates a safe table
This adventure contains opportunities for roleplay and combat, with varying outcomes depending on the path the party takes. No major content warnings beyond fantasy violence; even so, we'll make use of the listed safety tools to make sure that everyone has a good time.