Midweek Musings: The Wednesday Plan

Date: April 29, 2026 From the Desk of the Hedge Wizard of Shreveport Cabin Bayou Earl

Good morning. You’ve caught me at a crossroads of the week. I am forging for my own breakfast this morning in the twelve-mile bayou of Shreveport Louisiana to fuel up for the rest of the week, or I might be staying offline to focus on recovery and family responsibilities after these musings are posted.

In the world of a Hedge Wizard, you have to listen to the body and the spirits of the swamp—sometimes that means pancakes and fellowship, and sometimes it means a quiet cabin and a closed logbook. Whether I’m at the breakfast table or resting in the cabin, here is the data you need to keep your own campaigns grounded in the local rhythm.

The Hook: Danger in the 12 Mile Bayou

You can’t walk the Shreveport line without respecting the small things that bite, sting, and drain. In the 12 Mile Bayou, the bugs aren't just a nuisance—they are the masters of the muck. Using Ken St. Andre’s Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 rules, I’ve mapped out the six most lethal encounters you’ll face when the sun starts to crawl behind the cypress knees.

Whether you're a seasoned Royal Cartographer or a fresh-faced recruit, remember: it isn't the Ether Dragons you have to worry about today. It's the hum in the air and the ripple in the stagnant water. These creatures use Spite (6s) and Saving Rolls to make sure your trek through the bayou is one you—and your character—won't soon forget.

12 Mile Bayou: Deadly Bug Encounter Chart (1d6)

1. Giant Bayou Mosquito (MR 30)

• Dice & Adds: 4d6 + 15

• Special Damage (Blood Drain): On any die roll of 6, the mosquito drains 2 CON points from the victim in addition to normal damage. Armor does not absorb this drain.

2. Cottonmouth Centipede (MR 45)

• Dice & Adds: 5d6 + 22

• Special (Venom): If the monster wins the combat round, the loser must make a Level 2 Saving Roll on Luck (25 - Luck) or take double damage as the poison burns through their veins.

3. Cypress Trap-Door Spider (MR 60)

• Dice & Adds: 7d6 + 30

• Special (Ambush): Attacks with surprise; the party cannot roll for the first combat turn.

• Special (Web): Spite damage (6s) entangles the foe. -1 Die to the player's roll for each 6 rolled by the spider until cut free.

4. "Devil’s Darning Needle" (Giant Dragonfly) (MR 55)

• Dice & Adds: 6d6 + 27

• Special (Aerial Ace): Cannot be hit by melee weapons unless the wielder makes a Level 1 DEX Saving Roll (10 - DEX) to time the swing. Ranged weapons attack normally.

5. Murder Hornet Swarm (MR 80)

• Dice & Adds: 9d6 + 40

• Special (Swarm Traits): Takes only 1 point of damage from non-area attacks (swords/arrows). Fire or magic takes full effect.

• Special (Sting): Spite damage causes Agony; victim attacks at -2 Dice on the next turn.

6. HAZARD: Leech Fever Shallows

• Effect: Anyone wading through must make a Level 1 CON Saving Roll (10 - CON).

• Failure: Lose 1d6 CON points immediately and movement speed is halved until healed.

HERE IS THIER FULL STATS WITH THIER DISCRPTIONS

Here are the detailed stats and M!M! 2.7 implementation details for your readers!

Detailed Stats & 2.7 Rules Implementation

1. Giant Bayou Mosquito (MR 30)

• Description: A horrific, drone-sized insect with a needle-like proboscis. It thrives in the stagnant waters of 12 Mile Bayou.

• These aren't your average backyard pests. The Giant Bayou Mosquito is the size of a modern surveillance drone, with a translucent, vein-filled abdomen that pulses with a sickening red light after a successful strike. They don't buzz; they emit a low-frequency thrum that can be felt in a person's chest before they are even seen. Their proboscis is reinforced with a biological chitin that can pierce through heavy denim and light leather armor with ease.

• M!M! 2.7 Stats:

• Monster Rating: 30

• Combat Dice: 4d6 (30/10 + 1)

• Combat Adds: +15 (MR/2)

• Special Power (Blood Drain): Modeled after the Vampire bat mechanics. The CON drain forces players to finish the fight quickly or become too weak to continue.

2. Cottonmouth Centipede (MR 45)

• Description: Named for the white coloration inside its mouth, this 6-foot horror skitters across rotting logs.

• Named for the stark, snowy-white interior of its mandibles, this multi-legged horror reaches lengths of six to eight feet. It is a master of the "rot-zone," blending perfectly into the decaying logs and grey cypress knees. When it strikes, it doesn't just bite; it latches on with dozens of hooked legs, injecting a necrotizing venom that makes the victim feel as though their blood has been replaced by boiling swamp water.

• M!M! 2.7 Stats:

• Monster Rating: 45

• Combat Dice: 5d6

• Combat Adds: +22

• Special Power (Venom): Uses the standard Saving Roll mechanic. A "Level 2 SR" on Luck is a target number of 20 minus the attribute.

3. Cypress Trap-Door Spider (MR 60)

• Description: Lurks beneath mossy "doors" in the mud. It is fast, hairy, and incredibly strong.

• This is the ultimate ambush predator of the 12 Mile. It constructs a perfectly camouflaged "lid" out of peat, moss, and river silt that is virtually invisible to the untrained eye. It sits in a silk-lined burrow just inches beneath the mud, waiting for the vibration of a traveler's footfall. When the trap springs, the spider lunges with incredible speed, dragging its prey into the dark hole before a single scream can be uttered.

• M!M! 2.7 Stats:

• Monster Rating: 60

• Combat Dice: 7d6

• Combat Adds: +30

• Special Power (Ambush & Web): The ambush mechanic simulates the "Trap-Door" nature. The web mechanic utilizes Spite (rolling 6s), a core feature of modern combat, directly penalizing the player's dice pool.

4. "Devil's Darning Needle" (MR 55)

• Description: A massive dragonfly with iridescent blue wings that hum like a chainsaw. It snatches prey from the air.

• With a wingspan reaching nearly four feet, these iridescent nightmares are the fighter jets of the bayou. Their wings move so fast they create a blur of blue and silver, accompanied by a sound like a gasoline-powered chainsaw. They are highly territorial and will dive-bomb anything that enters their airspace, using their serrated legs to snatch smaller prey or their massive mandibles to take "clipping" bites out of larger intruders.

• M!M! 2.7 Stats:

• Monster Rating: 55

• Combat Dice: 6d6

• Combat Adds: +27

• Special Power (Aerial Ace): This reflects the high Dexterity required to hit a flying target without using specific "Flyer" rules, keeping it simple for a random encounter.

5. Murder Hornet Swarm (MR 80)

• Description: A buzzing black cloud of fist-sized wasps. They don't sting once; they sting until the target stops moving.

• Individually, they are the size of a man’s fist. In a swarm, they become a living, buzzing cloud of orange and black fury. Unlike other insects, these hornets are hyper-aggressive and will pursue a target for miles, even over open water. Their stings release a pheromone that "marks" the victim, signaling every other hornet in the swarm to strike the same spot until the target goes into total systemic shock.

• M!M! 2.7 Stats:

• Monster Rating: 80 (High threat due to swarm nature)

• Combat Dice: 9d6

• Combat Adds: +40

• Special Power (Swarm): This monster acts as a "damage sponge" against conventional weapons, encouraging players to use spells or fire.

6. The Hazard: Leech Fever Shallows

• Description: Not a single monster, but an environmental trap. The bayou water here is infested.

• While not a single beast, this environmental hazard is a collective of thousands of tiny, needle-thin leeches that infest the warmest, shallowest parts of the bayou. They are almost impossible to see in the murky water. By the time a traveler realizes they’ve been bitten, the "fever" has already begun—a rapid-onset infection that saps the traveler's strength and leaves them staggering and delirious in the mud.M!M! 2.7 / T&T Saving Roll Difficulty Table

• NEW SAVING ROLL RULES: Hazards in M!M! are often resolved via Saving Rolls. i have included a new table or revised saving rolls I use now in my games as follows I have tied these to Ken's Universal Deadlyness Ratings from the MoZ and the TGSQ book.

• Effect: A Level 1 Saving Roll (Target 10) is standard difficulty. The loss of CON is dangerous because CON is also a character's Health/Hit Points in this system.

• Level 2 (Target 20): Average. A solid hurdle. Requires either good attributes or a bit of luck to overcome.

• Level 3 (Target 30): Hard. This is where things get dangerous. Professional adventurers start to feel the pressure here.

• Level 4 (Target 40): Heroic. A feat that would make a local legend. Failure is more likely than success for the average person.

• Level 5 (Target 50): Champion. The level of a seasoned master. Only those who have truly honed their skills can reliably pass this mark.

• Level 6 (Target 60): Epic. Legendary status. You are performing feats that will be sung about in the taverns of Zimrala for generations.

• Level 7 (Target 70): Master. Pushing beyond mortal limits.

• Level 8 (Target 80): Grandmaster. Incredible feats of strength or will that defy logic.

• Level 9 (Target 90): Transcendent. Touching the power of the ancients.

• Level 10 (Target 100): Mythic. Pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Usually reserved for resisting the direct will of a God or an Ether Dragon.

The Swamp Dread: A Dual-Jeopardy Mechanic

In the 12 Mile Bayou, the "Dread" isn't just a feeling; it’s a measurable force that wears down the body and the mind simultaneously. For those running games in the Shreveport area or beyond, use these rules to simulate the creeping weight of the swamp.

The Rule: Every hour spent in the deep bayou, adventurers must succeed on two Saving Rolls or suffer the cumulative effects. Success builds momentum, while failure invites the dark.

I. The Physical Toll (CON Saving Roll)

1. Hour 1-2: Level 1 (Target 10 - CON)

• Success: Resilient. Gain a +2 bonus to your next CON Saving Roll.

• Failure: Fatigued. -2 to all Dexterity-based rolls.

2. Hour 3-4: Level 2 (Target 20 - CON)

• Success: Second Wind. Gain a +5 bonus to your next CON Saving Roll.

• Failure: Sluggish. -1 Combat Die from your total pool.

3. Hour 5+: Level 3 (Target 30 - CON)

• Success: Hardened. Negate the next 1d6 CON drain.

• Failure: Wasting. Lose 1d6 CON (Health) per hour until you leave.

II. The Mental Fracture (IQ/Sanity Saving Roll)

1. Hour 1-2: Level 1 (Target 10 - IQ)

• Success: Focused. Gain a +2 bonus to your next IQ Saving Roll.

• Failure: Unsettled. You cannot use "Exploding 6s" (Spite) for your own benefit.

2. Hour 3-4: Level 2 (Target 20 - IQ)

• Success: Clear-Headed. Gain a +5 bonus to your next IQ Saving Roll.

• Failure: Paranoid. All allies are treated as "rivals" for combat positioning.

3. Hour 5+: Level 3 (Target 30 - IQ)

• Success: Indomitable. Ignore the next Sanity Check required by the environment.

• Failure: Breaking. Roll immediately on the Lovecraft D6 Sanity Table below.

Lovecraft D6 Sanity Table (Bolt Thrower Press Variant) Roll 1d6 if the Level 3+ IQ Saving Roll is failed:

1. Amnesia: You forget the last hour. Lose all Success Bonuses and start Dread progression over at Hour 1.

2. Echoes of the Void: You believe you are an Ether Dragon. You refuse to use weapons and attempt to "portal" through trees (Take 1d6 damage).

3. Hedge-Blindness: You can no longer see the Hedge Wizard. You cannot receive help or bonuses from your party leader for 1d6 turns.

4. The Shimmering Phobia: You become terrified of the "Low-Level Ozone" shimmer. Move at half speed and cannot initiate combat.

5. Violent Tremors: Your hands won't stop shaking. Your Combat Adds are halved for the next two encounters.

6. Total Catatonia: You stare into the water. You are incapacitated until a teammate succeeds on a Level 2 Charisma/Intelligence SR to snap you out of it.

Mucking for Treasure (LUCK Saving Roll)

Once per hour, those brave enough to reach into the black water or sift through the cypress roots can attempt to find lost items of yesteryear. But be warned: the deeper the Dread, the harder it is to find anything but trouble.

LUCK Scavenging Rules:

1. Dread Level 1 (Target 10 - LUCK)

• Success: Bayou Scraps. Find d6 Silver Pieces or a usable rusted dagger.

• Failure: Grab a handful of stinging silt; -1 to your next LUCK roll.

2. Dread Level 2 (Target 20 - LUCK)

• Success: Lost Kit. A soggy pouch with 2d6 Gold or a minor healing herb.

• Failure: Disturb a nest; immediate Giant Bayou Mosquito encounter.

3. Dread Level 3 (Target 30 - LUCK)

• Success: Yesterday’s Echo. An ancient Zimralan artifact or minor magic charm.

• Failure: Trigger a trap; make a Level 2 DEX SR or take 2d6 damage.

4. Dread Level 4+ (Target 40 - LUCK)

• Success: The "Long Forgotten". A rare relic from the Tygerian Isles or Tiger Force.

• Failure: The Bayou claims a piece of your gear. Lose one random item from your pack.

Mucking for Treasure (Expanded LUCK Saving Rolls for use with the D66 Twelve Mile Bayou Scavenge Table (Roll 2d6 or 1d66 located below)

Once per hour, you may risk the muck to find lost items of yesteryear. Success grants a roll on the Scavenge Table.

1. Dread Level 1 (Target 10 - LUCK)

• Success: Scavenge Roll (11–16). You find the "Magnet Fisher’s" haul.

• Failure: Grab a handful of stinging silt; -1 to your next LUCK roll.

2. Dread Level 2 (Target 20 - LUCK)

• Success: Scavenge Roll (21–26). You pull up remnants of the past.

• Failure: Disturb a nest; immediate Giant Bayou Mosquito encounter.

3. Dread Level 3 (Target 30 - LUCK)

• Success: Scavenge Roll (31–36). You find industrial debris or river glass.

• Failure: Trigger a trap; make a Level 2 DEX SR or take 2d6 damage.

4. Dread Level 4 (Target 40 - LUCK)

• Success: Scavenge Roll (41–46). You find intimate personal effects.

• Failure: The Bayou claims a piece of your gear. Lose one random item from your pack.

5. Dread Level 5 (Target 50 - LUCK)

• Success: Scavenge Roll (51–56). You pull up the deep, heavy finds of the bayou.

• Failure: Dread-Soaked. Suffer an automatic failure on your next Sanity Saving Roll.

6. Dread Level 6 (Target 60 - LUCK)

• Success: Scavenge Roll (61-66). You find a true piece of history (Minié Ball/Relic).

• Failure: The Swamp Reclaims. You are dragged into the muck; make an immediate Level 3 CON SR to avoid drowning.

The "Hedge Wizard" Escalation Rule

As the spirits of the swamp grow restless, the threats become deadlier. GMs can use this to keep the pressure on as the day turns to dusk.

• The Escalation Bonus: For every hour past noon, add +1 to the Combat Adds of all hostile bugs and monsters.

• The Unnatural Pulse: If the Swamp Dread reaches Level 3 or higher, all Saving Rolls made to resist poison or hazards are at +1 Level of Difficulty.

• The Dusk Escalation: For every hour past noon, add +1 to the Combat Adds of all hostile bugs and monsters.

• The Unnatural Pulse: If the Swamp Dread reaches Level 3 or higher, all Saving Rolls made to resist poison or hazards are at +1 Level of Difficulty.

• The Midnight Toll (New Night Rule): Once the sun is fully down, the escalation hits its peak. All monsters gain an additional +1d6 to their Monster Rating (MR) for every hour past midnight. Furthermore, any LUCK Saving Rolls made to scavenge in the dark are at an automatic -2 penalty, as the silt hides its secrets well in the shadows.

The Scavenger’s Haul: What Lies Beneath

When you reach into the muck of the Twelve Mile Bayou, you aren't just looking for gold; you're looking for the discarded memories of Shreveport. Using the LUCK Saving Rolls mentioned above, consult this expanded table to see what your magnet or your hand pulls from the silt.

The Twelve Mile Bayou Scavenge Table (Roll 2d6 or 1d66)

11–16: The "Magnet Fisher’s" Haul 

• 11. Bundle of Copper Wire: Heavy, oxidized coil worth a few bucks as scrap but currently a tangled green mess. 
• 12. Tangled Bird’s Nest of Fishing Line: Encrusted with algae; holds 1d4 rusty hooks (sharp enough for a nasty nick). 
• 13. Binoculars (Fogged Lenses): Internal seals failed; permanently clouded with moisture; good for parts. 
• 14. Old Fishing Lure: Cracked "Whopper Plopper" or plastic crawfish; one hook missing; paint is peeling. 
• 15. Mangled Shopping Cart: Twisted metal from a defunct store; likely caught in a flood surge or hit by a boat. 
• 16. Heavy, Sealed PVC Pipe: 2-foot length with capped ends; suspiciously heavy; could be a stash or hidden materials.

21–26: Remnants of the Past 

• 21. Faded Polaroid of a Bridge: Water-damaged photo of North Market Street Bridge; a blurry figure stands in the background. 

• 22. Rusty Horseshoe: Heavy iron shoe from the days when the bayou was a primary transport vein. 

• 23. Mud-caked License Plate: A 1998 Louisiana plate; might be linked to a cold-case vehicle. 

• 24. Monsieur Richarde’s ‘Golden’ Coin: Looks like legend, but a "bite test" suggests it’s brass from a 1970s festival. 

• 25. Stolen Handbag: Faux-leather with a stuck zipper; contains a waterlogged pack of cigarettes and an old diner receipt. 

• 26. Snagged Cast Net: Nylon net weighted with lead; contains the skeletal remains of several large catfish.

31–36: River Glass and Silt 

• 31. Tarnished Silver Spoon: Heavy Victorian plate; black with sulfur from the bayou mud. 

• 32. Plastic Six-Pack Ring: Brittle, stained, and a sad reminder of modern river pollution. 

• 33. Rusted Pocket Knife: Bone handle; blade is rusted shut; requires a Repair check to open without snapping. 

• 34. Small Jar of ‘River Pearls’: Baby food jar containing dull, irregular pearls harvested from local mussels. 

• 35. Broken Glass Bottle (Brown): Tumbled smooth by the silt and current; genuine "river glass." 36. Antique Glass Medicine Bottle: A cobalt blue relic embossed with "Dr. Tichenor’s Antiseptic"; early 1900s.

41–46: Industrial Debris 

• 41. Rusted Pliers: Needle-nose pliers frozen solid; look like they fell out of a tackle box last week. 

• 42. Old Glass Marble: A "cat’s eye" marble, miraculously unscratched; a childhood treasure lost to the mud. 

• 43. Submerged Rusted Tire: A heavy truck tire serving as a home for a territorial crawfish or small catfish. 

• 44. Rusted Railroad Spike: A heavy, four-sided iron spike from the tracks parallel to the bayou. 

• 45. Old Casino Token: A $5 chip from the Eldorado Casino; faded and chipped, but maybe worth a favor. 

• 46. Empty ‘Light Crude’ Oil Barrel: 55-gallon drum with an oil logo; remnant of the 2023 spill.

51–56: Personal Effects 

• 51. Rusty Padlock: A heavy Master Lock with no key; whatever it was meant to keep secret is long gone. 

• 52. Rusted Bicycle Frame: A child’s "BMX" ghost-bike; skeletal and red-painted. 

• 53. Soaked Wallet: Leather bifold; contains seven soggy dollars and a dry cleaning slip for a local politician. 

• 54. Brass Boat Propeller Blade: A jagged blade snapped off a larger prop; surprisingly bright brass. 

• 55. Empty Ammo Can: Military-surplus box; inside is a single, unspent .22 caliber round. 

• 56. Silver Wedding Band: Simple and elegant; inscribed: "Always, 1952." Emotionally valuable.

61–66: The Deep Finds 

• 61. Mossy Concrete Block: Frayed nylon rope tied around the center; used as an anchor or to weigh something down. 

• 62. Weathered Wooden Toy Boat: A hand-carved tugboat; wood is grey and soft from saturation. 

• 63. Muddy Campaign Sign: Corrugated plastic for a sheriff's race; unrecognizable under the grime. 

• 64. Disposable Camera: Yellow Kodak waterproof camera; film inside might still be salvageable. 

• 65. Broken Fishing Rod: Top half of a high-end graphite rod with the reel seat still intact. 

• 66. Civil War Era Lead Bullet: A "Minié ball" from the defense of Shreveport; a direct link to history.

Conclusion: The Wizard's Final Word

Whether you're breakfasting with friends or recovering in the silence of your own cabin today, keep your eyes on the waterline. The Twelve Mile Bayou is a place where the past never stays buried for long—it just waits for the right person to reach in and pull it back into the light.

But as you reach into that mud, remember that the "Wasting" and the "Breaking" of the Swamp Dread aren't the end of the story. In my quiet moments at the logbook, I am anchored by the promise in Jeremiah 30:17: "For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds." In a world full of deadly bugs and siphoned CON points, there is a restoration that goes deeper than any healing herb. Be careful what you go looking for in the muck, because sometimes the mud starts looking back—but when it does, make sure you're standing on a foundation that can't be washed away.

Call to Action: Have you ever pulled something strange out of the water that felt like a piece of the past? Drop a comment below and tell me about your "Magnet Fisher's" haul, or share how your players handled the weight of the Swamp Dread in your own campaign!

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 specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona, the "Twelve Mile Terror" campaign, and the original "Twelve Mile Bayou Scavenge Table."

Monsters! Monsters!™, Humans! Humans!™, TGSQ (Troll Gods Skull Quest), and MoZ (Monsterary of Zimrala) are trademarks of Ken St. Andre and Trollgodfather Press and are used with permission. The "Deadliness Ratings" and monster mechanics are based on the official tables created by Ken St. Andre.

The specific mechanics for the Lovecraft MM Variant Rules, Sanity Tables, and Mythos rules (originally written by the Roman Brothers for classic T&T) are the intellectual property of Bolt Thrower Press, as revised and updated by Tim Pugh. These rights are their sole property and are used with permission.

Mechanics referenced from the Open D6 System are used under the Open Game License (OGL). All rights to the Starfaring (1976) crystal mechanics are the sole property of Ken St. Andre. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.