Act Two: Thicket Thieves

thicket thieves

ACT TWO // PART ONE

The Fallout

Let the events of the previous act play out, allowing the players to roleplay and take other actions. Use the scenarios below for guidance.

SCENARIOS

If they search the merchant cart, you can talk about the cart being stripped of all valuables and showcase the dead driver with a mangled arm, picked over by the strixwolf family for food. If the PCs inspect the body further, they might find that the driver had his neck slit. If they attack the strixwolf, have them make an attack roll against it at a difficulty of 10. On a success, they deal damage using their weapon. The pups will flee. If they fail any rolls to interact with the strixwolf, it will pull its pups onto its back and fly into a nearby tree, watching the adventurers from above. If they try to find signs of something strange, they see the remnants of thorny bramble tangled around the wheel of the carriage and strewn across on the road. If they want to move the merchant cart out of the way, are taking steps to get their carriage moving again, or are trying to leave the trail, jump to "Ambushed!" Strixwolf Mother Tier 1 Standard Bite - Melee - 1d6+3 phy Major 4 | Severe 8 Attack Modifier: +1 HP: O O O Difficulty: 10 Stress: O O O

The Ambush

When the moment feels right, or one of the above scenarios triggers it, ask a PC who seems like they are paying attention to their surroundings to make an Instinct Roll with a difficulty of 14. On a success, they notice eyes watching them from the darkness beyond the trail. If it was with Fear, gain a Fear and have the PC mark a Stress. Use the “See Them Coming”

On a failure, they are immediately ambushed. If it was with Fear, gain a Fear and have the PC also mark a Stress. Use the

See Them Coming Read the following aloud:

Ambushed! Read the following aloud:

SETTING UP THE BATTLE MAP

Take the forest terrain you’ve cut out and ask for your players to help you spread it across the table to build a map. You may also encourage them to grab other items from around the room to add terrain to the map. Build out the playspace together. Then, place the overturned merchant’s cart on the table and ask the players to put their miniatures nearby, where they think they would be in the scene, along with their carriage. Finally, take the Thistlefolk Ambusher standees and the Thistlefolk Thief, and put them in Close range of the PCs.

BEGINNING THE ENCOUNTER

On the next page, you’ll find the stat blocks for the Ambushers and Thief. You’ll use those stat blocks to run the remainder of this encounter. Remember to make the battle your own. Decide what the Thistlefolk look like in detail, describe the scene as if the players were watching a movie or reading a book, and if you’re comfortable with it, ask them to participate in building out the scene as well. This can be as easy as asking them to describe their attack or their evasion in detail, but you might also involve them further—ask them what unique clothing item the Ambushers are all wearing, or the interesting fighting style they seem to employ. You might also ask what level of violence the players are comfortable with. Are they looking to kill the enemies? Incapacitate them? Knock them out?

thicket thieves

ACT TWO // PART TWO

The First Encounter

AMBUSHED!

If the players were ambushed, the Thistlefolk act first. We can see this reflected in their feature, “Ambush.” Read the following aloud:

Move the ambushers into melee with the PC closest to them. Then follow the attack guide below for each Ambusher.

SEE THEM COMING

If the players spotted the Ambushers coming, they get to act first. Read the following aloud:

Thistlefolk Ambusher (Reference)

Tier 1 Standard Dagger: Melee - 1d8+5 phy Thresholds: 6/12 ATK: +1 HP: 3 Difficulty: 13 Stress: 2

FEATURES

Ambush - Reaction: When the Ambusher enters the scene without being spotted first, they can immediately move into Melee with a target and make an attack against them. On a success, they strike with their dagger for 2d4+8 physical damage. Thistlefolk Ambusher #1 HP: O O O Stress: O O Thistlefolk Ambusher #2 HP: O O O Stress: O O Thistlefolk Ambusher #3 HP: O O O Stress: O O

THE THISTLEFOLK’S GOAL

USING REFERENCE STAT BLOCKS

On the Thistlefolk Ambusher, you’ll notice the stat block is listed as "Reference" with three other smaller stat blocks below it. This is how Daggerheart represents three adversaries that all have the same stats. Instead of repeating all of the information three times, it is in one centralized area.

AMBUSHER ATTACK GUIDE

When you make an attack against a PC, roll a d20 and add its attack modifier (+1), then compare it to the PC’s Evasion. If it hits, make a damage roll using 1d8+5. Ask them to compare the total to their damage thresholds, use armor if they'd like, and mark their hit point(s).

THIEF ATTACK GUIDE

When you make an attack against a PC, roll a d20 and add its attack modifier (+3), then compare it to the PC’s Evasion. If it hits, make a damage roll using 2d4+3. Ask them to compare the total to their damage thresholds, use armor if they'd like, and mark their hit points. If they’re using Back Off, on a success deal the damage and move the PC’s standee a direction of your choice in far range of where they previously were.

AMBUSHER/THIEF DEFENSE GUIDE

When an adversary is hit with damage, compare the amount to their thresholds, then mark the appropriate hit points. When you mark their last hit point, they are defeated. Thistlefolk Thief Tier 1 Leader Serrated Blade: Melee - 2d4+3 (phy) Thresholds: 7/14 ATK: +3 HP: O O O O Difficulty: 14 Stress: O O

FEATURES

Back Off - Action: Spend a Fear to make an attack roll against all targets within Melee range. Any they succeed against are blasted backwards, dealing 2d6+3 magic damage and pushing them into Far range.

THE ENCOUNTER'S END

The encounter ends when all adversaries are defeated. Clean up the map, then encourage the PCs to describe a montage of the remaining travel time to Hush.