Bayou Tuesday: Ripples and Bad Omens in Bayou Blue
January 6, 2026
Good morning from the cabin. I’m finally feeling a bit more like myself today—that flu is losing its grip, and none too soon. I have errands to run, but before I head out, I wanted to combine my thoughts on the local news and the stranger things I’ve been seeing through the Scope of the True Meridian.
There is trouble brewing down in Lafourche Parish. Sheriff Craig Webre and his detectives are currently out in Bayou Blue investigating the theft of a black 2021 Skeeter boat and its trailer. It was taken right off Highway 316. To most, it’s a standard grand theft. But to those of us who know how to read the "ripples," there’s something off about the scene. No tire tracks on the shoulder, and a lingering scent of ozone and swamp-rot that doesn't belong to any motor oil I know.
The Investigation: A Human Perspective
In the Lovecraft Variant of our world, the men in uniform aren't just fighting crime; they are the thin line between us and the Nameless Horrors of the deep. Here is how a local investigator stacks up when they encounter the "unexplainable" in the marsh.
Character Stats: The Lafourche Investigator (Human) Type: Warrior (Investigator Variant) | Level: 2
Special Rules: Uses the "Rahman Brothers" Lovecraft Variant.
| Attribute | Dice (D6) | Total |
| STR | 3D6 | 11 |
| CON | 3D6 | 12 |
| DEX | 3D6 | 14 |
| INT | 4D6 | 16 |
| LUCK | 3D6 | 10 |
| CHR | 3D6 | 13 |
| SANITY | 5D6 | 18 |
Special Talent: "Eagle Eye" – Allows for a LUCK roll to spot clues or Ether-distortions that others would miss.
Lovecraft Rule: Emotional Stability (Sanity) – If this investigator sees the Hull-Breaker, they must roll against their SANITY. A failure means they drop their service weapon and flee back toward Highway 316.
The Beast in the Reeds: The Blue Bayou Hull-Breaker
Since the Sheriff is looking for that Skeeter boat, he’d best be careful. The Hull-Breaker isn't just a cryptid; it's an apex predator of the biodiverse wetlands that has slipped through a localized Ether-thinning. It doesn't want the boats for transport; it uses the fiberglass and aluminum to reinforce its nest, weaving the wreckage together with a thick, corrosive slime.
Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Stat Block Kindred: Ether-Touched Sludge-Fiend | Level: 4
| Attribute | Dice (D6) | Total (Avg) |
| STR | 5D6 | 18 |
| CON | 6D6 | 21 |
| DEX | 3D6 | 10 |
| INT | 2D6 | 7 |
| LUCK | 4D6 | 14 |
| CHR | 1D6 | 3 |
Combat Adds: +11
Special Abilities:
Corrosive Ripple: Leaves a trail of acidic bile. Any creature (except the Captain) starting their turn in the same water takes 1D6 acid damage.
Hull Crush: If attacking a vehicle or boat, it deals triple damage.
Etheric Camouflage: In the dark or mist, it is nearly invisible. It takes a successful LUCK roll to spot the ripples before it strikes.
Closing Thoughts
The detectives in Bayou Blue are looking for a trailer and a motor, but they should be looking for the trail of melted paint and the smell of sulfur. I saw the ripples myself last night—too wide for an alligator, too rhythmic for a wake. It’s a Hull-Breaker, likely drawn here by a lingering scent of the Tygerian Isles.
I’m heading out to run those errands now. Keep your eyes on the water and your compass true.
Yours for now,
Captain Hedges
Product Identity & Legal
The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The world of Zimrala, The Tygerian Isles, The Ether Dragons, The Tiger Force Shadow Saga, The specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona, The "Royal Cartographer" archetype and the character "Emperor Rajah." Unique Items: The Ink of Anticipation, The Compass of Lost Things, Parchment of Echoes, The Scope of the True Meridian, The Rod of Infinite Spanning, and The Plumb of Gravity’s Anchor. Monsters! Monsters! and Humans, Humans (1st Edition) are trademarks of Ken St. Andre and Troll Godfather Press and are used with permission. The statistics and game mechanics provided herein are designated as unofficial playtest material for the Tygerian Isles campaign setting. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
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