Weekend Edition: A Message from the Cabin
I thought I would do something for a weekend report with Detective Jones opening his field reports from the Urland Universe FBI Vault. Welcome to the new GMA Playtest, Case File #7!
Disclaimer & Legal Note: The following file is used as a Gamemaster adventure for the Monsters! Monsters! Lovecraft Variant from Bolt Thrower Press. The views here are solely those of Captain Hedges creating a fictitious FBI report strictly for his adventure. No malicious intent is inferred—just fun and fair use of the style the FBI uses for their reports released through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act.
Effective Immediately: For all ongoing investigations within the Urland Universe Vault, the following command designation is absolute:
The Regional Director (RD): "The Watcher"
The GM Designation: From this point forward, all GMs running these playtests are designated as "The Watchers."
- Role: You hold the Executive Oversight of your specific reach.
- You are the final gatekeeper of the deepest UU-FBI Vault secrets.
- Authority: While Detective Jones and "The Filter" handle the field tactical work, the Watcher decides the ultimate truth behind your version of the Urland Universe FBI Vault Files.
- You determine Crypted containment is in full force as if and when the Hog Man is captured, and the Nutria-horrors are contained, or if the Midnight Toll finally rings for the last time.
Earl's GM Notes: As follows
GMs, use these stats when the players go looking for those missing traps. When you run this playtest, remember that the 12 Mile Bayou isn't just a backdrop—it’s an antagonist. In our Urland Universe, the atmosphere is everything. You want to describe the smell of the stagnant water and the way the Violet-Tinted Mist clings to the players' clothes like it’s trying to soak into their skin. This isn't a high-fantasy dungeon crawl; this is Swamp Dread.
The narrative we are building here is about escalation and the "unseen." When the players arrive at the Richard Fleming Park boat launch, don’t just throw an MR 111 Nutria-horror at them immediately. Let them find the "gnawed" fishing cages first. Let them see the tool marks—or rather, the lack of them. When they realize the metal has been chewed, that’s when you call for that first IQ Saving Roll. We are using the Lovecraft Variant for a reason; the horror comes from the realization that the natural order is broken. These rats aren't just hungry; they are systematic. They are dismantling gear. That implies a level of intelligence that should terrify a standard adventurer.
As the Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin, I’ve seen how players react when their gear starts disappearing. Use the Scavenge Hook aggressively. If they fail a roll, don't just tell them they don't find anything—have a rat dart out of the reeds and snatch a shiny brass compass or a favorite dagger. Now, the players have a choice: do they let the item go, or do they follow the thief into the deep brush where the Swarm Mechanics and the Rotting Clock really start to hurt?
The Midnight Toll is your best friend for pacing. If the players are taking too long or being too cautious, let them hear the rhythmic swaying in the reeds get louder as midnight approaches. Remind them that the Full Moon visibility works both ways. They can see the silt-covered fur of the rats, but the rats have been tracking their heat signatures since they stepped off the pier.
When you use the Swarm Rules adapted from the 3e and Pathfinder 1e era, emphasize the "Occupied Square" rule. Don't let them just "tank" the hits. Describe the rats crawling up their boots and biting at the gaps in their armor. The Distraction mechanic is key here—if the mage can't focus because they are covered in biting, oil-slicked vermin, the tension at the table will skyrocket.
We are creating a campaign where survival is earned, not given. This Saturday morning report is just the beginning of Case File #7. Keep the notes on how your players handle the Swamp Shivers and whether they managed to recover their gear. The Bayou is watching, and so is Detective Jones. Stay safe in the muck, and keep your IQ high.
Official UU-FBI Field Office Designations
As we expand the reach of the Urland Universe Vault, it has become clear that the "boots on the ground" overseeing these anomalies need a formal designation. Whether you are running a high-stakes investigation for Detective Jones or surviving the deep-muck horrors of the 12 Mile Bayou, your role in this campaign is vital. To keep our records consistent within the UU-FBI Field Office, we are establishing official divisions for our Game Masters.
Below are the current operational acronyms vetted by the Field Office. Read through these designations and choose the one that best fits the tone of your local campaign. Once you pick your division, use it in your playtest reports so the Hedge Wizard knows exactly who is sending the intel.
1. M.U.C.K. (Manifestation Unit Campaign Keepers) This is for the GMs who aren't afraid to get dirty. If your campaign is focused on the grit, the grime, and the physical survival of the Rotting Clock, you belong in M.U.C.K. These keepers focus on how the "unnatural patterns" manifest in the physical world. If your players are constantly fighting off infection and mud-dens, this is your unit.
2. W.A.R.D.E.N. (Weird Anomaly Reporting & Dissemination Expert Network) This division is for the investigative GMs. If your table plays like a true "Case File," focusing on the FOIA leaks, the bureaucratic mystery, and the official reports of Detective Jones, you are a W.A.R.D.E.N. You are the frontline of intelligence, turning the chaos of the bayou into documented facts for the Field Office.
3. S.W.A.M.P. (Strategic World Adventure Management Personnel) For the GMs who focus on the "Big Picture" and the overarching mechanics of the Urland Universe. S.W.A.M.P. personnel are the tacticians. You balance the Midnight Toll escalations with the long-term survival of the party. You manage the world as a living, breathing antagonist, ensuring every move the players make has a strategic consequence.
4. G.R.I.T. (Game Reporting & Intelligence Technicians) This is the blue-collar division. G.R.I.T. technicians are the ones stress-testing the MR/DR scales and the Swarm Rules. If you are a "mechanics-first" GM who loves a good combat-heavy playtest and wants to provide hard data on how the Nutria-horrors are performing in the field, this is your callsign.
5. H.E.D.G.E. (Horror Environment Data Gathering Experts) Named in honor of the Hedge Wizard himself, this division is for those running the Lovecraft Variant. You are experts in IQ-based Sanity and the psychological collapse of your players. You gather data on how the mind breaks when faced with the "Violet-Tinted Mist." You aren't just running a game; you are documenting the descent into madness.
6. T.I.G.E.R. (Tactical Intelligence & Ghost-Entity Recon) This division is reserved for the Tiger Force Shadow Saga Agents. These are the cryptid hunters who track the things that walk between the shadows of history. If your campaign follows the legacy of the soldiers and their families through Vietnam and the Desert Storm era, hunting down the supernatural threats that standard military intelligence won't acknowledge, you are a T.I.G.E.R. Agent. You deal with the elite, the rare, and the ancient.
The choice is yours. The Urland Universe is vast, and the Field Office needs specialized eyes in every corner of the reach. Pick the acronym that resonates with your GM style and wear it with pride in Case File #7. The Bayou is watching—make sure you're reporting from the right side of the line.
chain of command
Here is the official UU-FBI Command Structure for the Urland Universe Vault, organized by rank and operational role:
The Regional Director (RD): "The Watcher" – The executive authority over the Shreveport reach. They manage the high-level secrets and decide what gets buried in the Vault.
Special Agent in Charge (SAC): "The Filter" (T.I.G.E.R. Operative) – The primary liaison to D.C. and NARA. While he officially signs off on FOIA releases to keep the public in the dark, he is secretly a high-ranking member of Tiger Force. His "filters" are designed to protect the tactical secrets of the T.I.G.E.R. Agents in the field. He also oversees their missions in the area.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC): "The Overseer" – Handles the tactical logistics and redirects units like the Shadow B&B teams when major threats like the Hog Man appear.
Supervisory Special Agent (SSA): "The Lead Investigator" – Detective Jones' direct superior who demands the paperwork stays clean and orderly.
Detective Jones (Field Special Agent): The Vault Custodian and primary field contact for all anomalous activities in the 12 Mile Bayou.
Agency Recruits: The "New Blood" recently assigned to the office. They have badges but lack the clearance to understand the true nature of the swamp.
Civilian Contractors (Junior Agents): This is where the Players and GMs sit. Hired on a need-to-know basis to do the dirty work the Bureau won't put on the official books.
Local Liaisons: The "Old Guard" and community contacts (Bayou Earl, Uncle Bill, Doctor John, and the boys at the docks) who provide the local intel and support.
Local Liaisons: The 12 Mile Bayou "Old Guard"
The Field Office typically relies on the seasoned "Old Guard" to handle the grit of the 12 Mile Bayou, but the reach is currently vulnerable. Bayou Earl and Uncle Bill—the men who know every inch of these reeds—are down sick again. Doctor John is currently tied up attending to them, providing constant medical care and keeping them stable, which leaves the Shreveport side of the swamp without its primary protectors.
To make matters worse, the elite FBI Shadow Unit normally stationed at the Shadow B&B is completely unavailable for this mission. They have been diverted across the line to the Bossier side of the Cypress Swamp, where they are currently in a high-stakes pursuit of the Hog Man Beast. Because that cryptid is a priority-one threat, all veteran assets are tied up in the Bossier Tangles.
This leaves Detective Jones standing alone at the Fleming Launch with a mounting Nutria-horror problem and no backup. He is now forced to call in New Agency Recruits to fill the void.
Jones' Emergency Briefing to the New Recruits:
"Listen, I shouldn't even be talking to you greens, but Earl and Bill are down, Doc is busy, and the B&B boys are over in Bossier chasing the Hog Man. That means you’re all I’ve got. You are to use the MM Lovecraft Variant protocols—found at the links below—to build your investigators and track your IQ and Sanity. If your head isn't on straight, the Bayou will swallow you.
If you need to know who we are and what we do, type 'Detective Jones' into our search engine to access the archives for Case Files #1 through #6. You’ll find the history of our Cryptid Hunting Unit there. Study those files, get your gear ready, and keep your eyes on the reeds. The veterans are gone, and it’s up to you to hold the line."
Status: ACTIVE but UNAVAILABLE for Case File #7
The Field Office typically relies on the following local assets for containment, lore, and guide services within the reach. However, due to a current outbreak of the "Swamp Shivers," these primary contacts are effectively off the grid:
Bayou Earl: Primary scout and deep-reach guide.
Uncle Bill: Military historian and veteran tactical advisor.
Doctor John: Currently engaged in full-time medical containment for both Earl and Bill.
So, Because Doctor John is occupied and the primary FBI Unit at the Cypress Shadow B&B is tracking the Hog Man Beast on the Bossier side of the swamp, Detective Jones has been forced to initiate emergency recruitment.
OPERATIONAL DIRECTIVE:
Character Generation: All New Recruits must use the following core rules we use as follows
Monsters! Monsters! Lovecraft Variant protocols to build their investigators. This is the only way to ensure your IQ and Sanity stats are properly calculated for the 12 Mile Bayou. found here The Lovecraft Variant From Bolt Thrower Press
Intelligence Archives: To gain access to Case Files #1 through #6, enter "Detective Jones" into this website’s search engine. These archives contain critical data on our previous cryptid hunting missions and the history of the T.I.G.E.R. agents.
Tactical Warning: Do not cross the line into the Bossier Parish "Dead Zone." The Shadow Unit is currently engaged with the Hog Man; your orders are to hold the Shreveport side of the line and manage the Nutria-horror infestation at the Fleming Launch.
Dispatch From the Field: The Jones Reports
Case File #7: The Fleming Launch Incidents
Source: Urland Universe FBI Vault – Shreveport 12 Mile Bayou Field Office
Archive Reference: Jones, D. | Serial: 007-SMB
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
Location: Richard Fleming Park Boat Launch / 12 Mile Bayou Status: Unverified Citizen Complaints
Detective Jones has been fielding a string of calls this morning that are making the coffee at the field office taste a bit more bitter than usual. The reports are vague, mostly coming from angry locals who think they’re being targeted by vandals, but the details tell a different story.
"Had a call from a regular fisherman down at the Fleming launch. Says his heavy-duty crawfish traps were pulled onto the bank and 'shredded.' Not cut with wire snips—chewed. He described the marks like someone took a wood chisel to the metal mesh. Another report says the reeds across the channel are moving in 'unnatural patterns'—heavy, rhythmic swaying even when the air is dead still."
The Saturday Field Report: The weekend rush is seeing more than just heavy boat traffic. The reports are vague but consistent with the "Swamp Dread" patterns established in our earlier files.
Citizen Statement (Redacted): "Fishing cages along the shore have been gnawed upon. These aren't bolt cutters; the metal is chewed. And the boys down at the docks... they keep seeing the reeds moving in 'unnatural patterns'—that rhythmic swaying—right after the Midnight Toll hits."
What the Public Doesn't Know Yet: The Midnight Toll hits. They aren't just eating the local flora anymore; they've been seen dragging magnet-fishing hauls back into their mud-dens. The reports are just starting to filter in from the deeper reaches of the line, Captain. The Giant Swamp Rats (or "Bayou Nutria-horrors") are becoming a real problem for anyone trying to maintain a steady camp near the waterline.
Intelligence Log: Giant Swamp Rat (The Bayou Nutria)
Imagine a nutria the size of a bull terrier, covered in matted, oil-slicked fur perpetually caked in grey silt. They have orange, chisel-like incisors capable of gnawing through the hull of a wooden pirogue in minutes. While a standard pack rat is a nuisance, the giant varieties are remarkably hardy, with the largest specimens reaching an MR of 111, making them a Deadliness Rating 3 threat that can stand toe-to-toe with seasoned delvers.
Monster Rating (MR) & Deadliness
- Normal Rats (MR 8-32):
- An MR of 8-24 is a DR 1.
- An MR of 25-32 bumps them into DR 2.
- Giant Rats (MR 11-111):
- The low end (MR 11-24) is DR 1.
- The mid-range (MR 25-59) is DR 2.
- The high-end "Deadly" rats (MR 60-111) actually jump up to DR 3.
SPECIAL ABLITIES BELOW YOU CAN USE ALL OF THEM OR PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH ONES YOU WANT FOR EACH OF YOUR RAT ENCOUNTERS.
The Build: Imagine a nutria the size of a bull terrier, covered in matted, oil-slicked fur that’s perpetually caked in grey silt. They have orange, chisel-like incisors capable of gnawing through the hull of a wooden pirogue in minutes. MR 15
The "Pack-Feed" Mechanic: They rarely hunt alone. If a player encounters one, there are likely 1d6 more submerged nearby.
The Disease Factor: A bite triggers a Level 2 Saving Roll vs. "Swamp Shivers." Failure means the character’s Speed is halved for the next 24 hours.
The Scavenge Hook: These rats are attracted to shiny things. If a player fails a Scavenge Roll, a Giant Swamp Rat might actually scurry off with one of their existing items, forcing a chase into the brush.
New Swarm Mechanics found here are as follows: The Nutria-Horror Pack Apply these rules when the rats are encountered as a collective swarm rather than individual MR targets:
Collective MR: A swarm is treated as a single entity with a combined MR (usually 50–150). As the MR drops from damage, the "Deadliness Rating" drops accordingly.
Immunity to Single-Target Attacks: Just like the 3e/Pathfinder 1e rules, the swarm cannot be hit by single-target weapons (arrows, single stabs). Only area-of-effect attacks (fire, explosions, or large swinging sweeps) do full damage.
The "Occupied Square" Rule: A swarm doesn't "attack" normally. It moves into a character’s space. If you end your turn with the swarm in your space, you automatically take damage based on the swarm’s DR.
Distraction (IQ Saving Roll): Any character starting their turn inside the swarm must make an IQ SR (Level 1). Failure means the sheer chaos and biting prevents them from casting spells or performing complex actions that round.
Swarm-Bite (Automatic Infection): Because you are being bitten dozens of times, the "Swamp Shivers" Saving Roll is at a -2 penalty when dealing with the swarm versus a single giant rat.
Sunrise: 6:18 AM | Sunset: 7:56 PM
Moon Phase: Full Moon (The Flower Moon).
Condition: High visibility—but remember, if you can see them, they have already seen you.
1d6 Saturday Bayou Weather Table
Roll at the start of the playtest to determine the morning conditions at Richard Fleming Park:
Roll 1: Heavy River Fog – Visibility reduced to 10 feet. Violet-Mist penalties are doubled.
Roll 2: Oppressive Humidity – The Rotting Clock ticks faster. CON SRs are required every hour.
Roll 3: Stagnant Calm – Sound travels perfectly. Scavenge Rolls get a +1, but so do Monster detection rolls.
Roll 4: Sudden Delta Squall – Heavy rain for 1d6 turns. Speed is halved due to slick mud; fire-based weapons fail.
Roll 5: The "Flower Moon" Haze – Pollen creates a yellow film on the water. -1 to IQ SRs due to stinging eyes and distraction.
Roll 6: Unnatural Stillness – No birds, no bugs. Swamp Dread Points are gained on any failed Luck Roll.
Conclusion: The Filter’s Final Redaction Direct from the Desk of the SAC:
"Whether you're breaking bread with your unit 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, when the files are closed and the radio goes silent, 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.' 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. Stay vigilant. Stay grounded."
— Agent T.I.G.E.R. (The Filter) Tactical Mission Overseer, UU-FBI Shreveport Reach
Call to Action: Detective Jones is still taking reports. Have your players found any "chewed" gear, or have they already had a run-in with a Nutria-horror? The Watchers are waiting for your field data. Share your encounter stories below!
Product Identity & Legal
The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges:
The Twelve Mile Terror: Specific campaign setting and narrative.
Case File #7: The Fleming Launch incident and related field reports.
The UU-FBI: The fictionalized "Urland Universe" Bureau of Investigation and its Shreveport/Bossier hierarchy.
The Watcher: The specific persona and "Regional Director" archetype for the Game Master.
Agent T.I.G.E.R. / "The Filter": The specific mission overseer and Tiger Force persona.
The 12 Mile Bayou: The specialized fictionalized version of the local waterway.
The Hog Man Beast: The specific Bossier Parish cryptid and its T.I.G.E.R. level threat status.
The "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin": Persona and related storytelling elements.
Third-Party Property & Trademarks:
Monsters! Monsters!™: A trademark of Ken St. Andre and Trollgodfather Press, used with permission.
Bolt Thrower Press: All mechanics for Lovecraft D6 and Sanity Tables are the intellectual property of Bolt Thrower Press.
Open D6 System: Mechanics referenced from the D6 System are used under the Open Game License (OGL).
© 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
