A LIVING CAMPAIGN PRIMER
HEARKEN TO THE CALL OF THE FRONTIER. You are reading a new tactical heartbeat of the Tygerian Isles.
This isn't just a blog post; it’s a Living Campaign Primer Page forged in the fires of the Shreveport Cabin. This document is a dedicated playtest portal for the Monsterary of Zimrala Campaign Setting, utilizing the Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 and Humans! Humans!™ systems.
Anchored to the Peggy’s Cove-Point Chronicle scroll above, this primer is for every GM—from the wide-eyed initiate to the battle-scarred veteran—who is ready to defend the granite and salt of New Tuslan. We are building a world of High-Stakes Whimsy and Steam & Sorcery where every dice roll echoes through the salt-spray of the Western Coast and the grinding gears of Pendelton Clockwork.
I. The Setting: Life in the Cove
II. Character Creation: The "Zero XP" Start
III. The First Encounter: The Dire Cave Wolf
IV. The Bounty & The Economy
V. Famous Earl’s GM Notes
Terror at Peggy’s Cove: The Dire Cave Wolf Bounty
1. Introduction (The Hook)
2. Character Creation: The "Simple Job" System
3. New Monster: The Zimralian Dire Cave Wolf
4. The Campaign Hook: The Creg-Side Bounty
5. Famous Earl’s GM Notes
6. Meta Description
BEYOND THE VEIL: THE REFUGEE LEGACY OF PEGGY’S POINT
The morning air at Peggy’s Point doesn't smell of salt alone it carries the sharp ozone tang of ancient magic and the rhythmic, metallic heartbeat of the Black Tower. This isn't just a village; it is a desperate, defiant sanctuary. Every soul here—from the sturdiest Stonehead Dwarf to the smallest Hobb child—is a refugee from the shattered remains of Troll World. They didn't come to Peggy’s Point for the view; they came because the world they knew was swallowed by shadow, and this jagged shore offered the only chance to make a new community from the wreckage of the old.
At the center of this reconstruction is Aunt Piggy Snortor’s Cypress Shadow B&B. To an outsider, it looks like a lodge, but to the Refugee Hobbs who run it, it is a fortress of hospitality. These Halflings fled the collapse with little more than their recipes and their courage. Now, they are the village’s tactical heart, serving hot brew to Tide-Watchers while clutching copper serving trays that have seen as many skirmishes as dinner services. They are living proof that the culture of Troll World didn't die; it just moved to the Western Coast.
Across the thoroughfare, the Stonehead Clan Artificers represent the industrial spine of this new society. These Dwarven master-smiths brought the secrets of the deep forges with them, adapting their craft to the materials of their new home. Working alongside Human Blacksmith Apprentices, they marry traditional Dwarven forge-craft with local resources to create Lightning-Struck Oak War Clubs. They are rebuilding the martial pride of their lost world, one strike of the hammer at a time.
High above, the Pendleton Clan maintains the Black Tower. They are the keepers of time and safety, overseeing the Ancient Water Clock that generates the "Mist Veil." This isn't just maintenance; it’s a religious duty to ensure the Merdrun siphoning—the very force that likely chased many from Troll World—cannot reach their new doorstep. Their Clockwork Apprentices are the next generation of this survivalist lineage, learning that in Peggy’s Point, if the gears stop, the community dies.
The community is a tapestry of Troll World’s survivors. Human and Hobb Orchard Growers cultivate Glint-Apples in soil that was once barren, using "Useful Chemicals" to ward off the Swamp Dread. Fishermen haul in reinforced cages, while Butchery-Salt-Curers process the catch in sheds that smell of salt and woodsmoke. Even the Wyrd-Stone Gleaners, stooping in the tide pools for Moon crystals, are searching for the literal fragments of power needed to keep their new dream alive. They are all here for the same reason: to prove that even after an apocalypse, a community can rise again, stronger and more united than before.
KEY VILLAGE LOCATIONS & CLANS
The Cypress Shadow B&B: Run by Aunt Piggy Snortor and her family of refugee Hobbs. It is the heart of hospitality, gossip, and local defense planning.
The Black Tower (Lighthouse): Maintained by the Pendleton Clan Water Clockwork Tisars. This ancient water-clock and signal beam is the only thing keeping the Merdrun at bay.
Stonehead Clan Artificers (The Forge): Master Dwarven smiths and artificers who specialize in lightning-struck oak and enchanted iron. They provide the village with tools, weapons, and structural reinforcements.
The Orchard & Chemical Sheds: A sprawling grove of Glint-Apples and a laboratory for distilling the "Useful Chemicals" needed for farming and defense.
The Drying & Curing Sheds: Where the catch from the lobster-trappers and the meat from the dairy herds are processed for trade with the inland cities.
THE PULSE OF THE WESTERN COAST: SURVIVAL IN THE SHADOW
THE PULSE OF THE WESTERN COAST: SURVIVAL IN THE SHADOW
Life on the Western Coast is dictated by the relentless ticking of the Black Tower’s gears and a single, unforgiving law: to stay within the protection of the Mist Veil, one must prove their worth through labor. This is a community of survivors, not heroes; there is no room for the idle among the refugees of Troll World. Every resident, from the youngest Human apprentice to the most disgruntled Troll ditch-digger, starts with nothing—Zero Adventure Points and Zero Experience—possessing only the grit required to rebuild a world from the mud and granite of Peggy’s Point. Whether you are hauling Mooncrystals for the Pendletons or sweating in the Stonehead forges, your Village Job is your lifeline. Without a trade, you are a burden the colony cannot afford, and beyond the reach of the Water Clock’s chime, the Swamp Dread and the Merdrun siphoning wait to claim the weak. Here, the transition from common laborer to legend isn't a choice; it is a desperate necessity for those who wish to see another dawn on the Tygerian Isles.
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT OF PEGGY’S POINT
In the Western Coast community, the law is simple: To eat is to work. There are no "adventurers" here yet—only survivors. Every person, whether they are a high-born refugee or a mud-stained ditch-digger, must hold a Village Job to justify their rations and their place behind the Mist Veil.
Characters start their journey as local youth with Zero Adventure Points (AP) and Zero Experience. They are the sons and daughters of the Troll World diaspora, and their identity is tied entirely to their labor.
THE LABOR HIERARCHY & TRADES
The Artisans and Overseers At the top of the social clockwork are those who maintain the "Big Three" of the village: The Pendleton Clan (Water Clock/Lighthouse), the Stonehead Clan (Artificers/Forge), and Aunt Piggy Snortor (The Cypress Shadow B&B). Apprentices to these clans are seen as the future leaders, but they work just as hard, starting with nothing but their tools and their grit.
The Disgruntled Backbone: Troll Laborers The heavy lifting of the colony falls to the Troll Refugees. These are the ditch-diggers, the farm-hands, and the stone-haulers. They are the ones who carved the village out of the granite and continue to dig the trenches that drain the Swamp Dread. Though they are often overlooked by the "skilled" trades, the village would sink into the mire without their muscle.
Troll Laborer (MR): 60, (CD): 7D6 + 30; UDR: 2
The Common Trades Everyone else fills the essential gaps. Dairymen protect the herds, Tide-Watchers scan the horizon, Fishermen provide the protein, and Wyrd-Stone Gleaners hunt for the Mooncrystals that keep the lights on. Even the Orchard Growers must double as chemists to keep the crops from rot.
STARTING THE CAMPAIGN: FROM LABORER TO LEGEND
When the campaign opens during that fateful morning run, the players aren't heroes. They are just kids who have finished their morning chores or are heading to their shift.
Starting Stats: Players start with Zero Adventure Points.
Experience: All characters are 1st Level.
The Mandate: You must choose a job from the list below. This job provides your starting equipment and determines how the village views you. If you lose your job, you lose your standing in the community.
VILLAGE JOBS & STARTING IDENTITY
Characters start at 1st Level with Zero Experience. Players choose one Village Job to define their starting identity, gear, and role:
The Blacksmith Apprentice (Human): Student of the Stonehead Clan Artificers. Wields a Lightning-Struck Oak War Club.
The Orchard Grower (Human/Hobb): Expert in Glint-Apples and "Useful Chemicals." Carries Throwing Daggers and Pesticides/Acids.
The Refugee Hobb (Halfling): Fled from Troll World to run the Cypress Shadow B&B; uses a Copper Serving Tray as an improvised shield.
The Dairyman (Human): Protects the village herds from the craggy ridges. Wields a Quarterstaff and wears a Meridian Amulet.
Clockwork Apprentices: Assistants to the Pendleton Clan in the Black Tower. Starts with Maintenance Tools and a Bull's Eye Lantern.
Tide-Watchers: Scouts who monitor the granite shore for "rogue waves." Starts with a Spyglass and Harpoon.
Fishermen-Lobster-Trappers: The traditional backbone of the village. Starts with Reinforced Nets and a Filleting Knife.
Wyrd-Stone Gleaners: Scour the low-tide pools for Mooncrystals. Starts with a Lead-Lined Pouch and Walking Staff.
Butchery-Salt-Curers: Work the drying sheds to preserve the catch. Starts with a Cleaver and a Heavy Leather Apron (Armor 1).
THE UNSEEN BACKBONE: DISGRUNTLED TROLL REFUGEES
While the Pendletons and Stoneheads manage the heights of the Black Tower and the heat of the forges, the heavy, mud-caked reality of Peggy’s Point falls on the shoulders of the Troll Refugees. These aren't the celebrated artisans; they are the muscle that keeps the community from being reclaimed by the swamp.
Living mostly in the "Low-Cove" shanties, these Trolls—along with several displaced Orcs and Ogres from the old world—handle the grueling manual labor that no one else wants to do. They are the Ditch-Diggers carving out drainage trenches to keep the Swamp Dread from flooding the cellars, the Farm-Hands tilling the rocky soil for the Orchard Growers, and the Haulers who carry crates of Monocrystal's up the steep ridges to the Tower.
There is a growing bitterness in the Low-Cove. Many of these Trolls were warriors or landowners back in Troll World; now, they are seen merely as "manual labor" by the human and dwarven "elite." They work for scraps of Glint-Apples and floor space in the Cypress Shadow B&B’s stables, their low growls of discontent often drowned out by the constant ticking of the Water Clock.
DISGRUNTLED LABORER STATS (MR): 60, (CD): 7D6 + 30; UDR: 2
EQUIPMENT: Heavy Iron Shovels (treated as maces), Sledgehammers, and rusted chains.
SPECIAL ABILITY: RAGE OF THE DISPLACED If a Troll Laborer is slighted or underpaid, they may enter a frenzy. For 3 rounds of combat, they add +1D6 to their Combat Total, but they cannot use any armor protection during this time.
The campaign opens during a morning run along the craggy ridges. 2d6 Zimralian Dire Cave Wolves—six-legged, albino, sonar-using predators—have finished eating at the Hobbs' sheep and are now circling the villagers.
ZIMRALIAN DIRE CAVE WOLF
(Six-legged, albino, sonar-using predators of the granite ridges)
(MR): 120, (CD): 13D6 + 60; UDR: 4 (Individual) / 8–48 (Pack)
SPECIAL ABILITY: ECHO-HOWL (SONAR TERROR) Upon engaging, the wolf emits a piercing sonar frequency. PMs must make a Level 1 Saving Roll (L1SR) on INT. For every 3 wolves in the pack, the Saving Roll difficulty increases by 1 Level (Example: 4 wolves = L2SR).
RESULT: Failure halves the PM’s Combat Total.
PACK TACTICS: SIX-LEGGED PINCER If 3 or more wolves focus on a single target, the pack adds +10 to their Combat Total for each wolf involved.
PACK TACTICS: PIN AND SHRED If the Wolves win a combat round by 20 points or more, the target must make a L2SR on STR.
RESULT: Failure means the PM is pinned and rolls only 1D6 (plus adds) next round.
WEAKNESS: PHOTOPHOBIA Lantern Light: Reduces the wolf's Combat Total by 25%. The Pendleton Signal: If caught in the direct beam, wolves must make a L4SR on Luck or have their Combat Total reduced by 50%.
Money is not used in the Isles. In exchange for clearing the Creg-Side Den, Aunt Piggy offers Gems. GMs must use the Kin’s Gem Treasure Generator found on Page 103 of the Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Rules. These gems power the Clockwork Wizard’s gears and the Stonehead Artificer’s upgrades.
"Listen up! Use the First Strike to teach players about Combat Dice Decay. This is a playtest—if your players use a lantern to blind a wolf or a copper tray to parry a bite, log it! We are building the lore of the Tygerian Isles together. Now, grab your gear and watch the chime!"
The Hook: A silent clock, a salt-stained morning run, and the sudden smell of blood on the granite. The Problem: The "Mist Veil" has thinned. The peaceful life of the New Tuslan refugees is being siphoned by an alien artifact, and predators are being pushed into the livestock pens. The Promise: You will learn how to bridge 1st-level "Zero XP" starts with the high-stakes lethality of Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 and the UDR system.
Location: The Rocky Cregs & Fenland Caves (Bodeleaf County Map) These six-legged albino predators use natural sonar to hunt in the sea-mist. use the above stat block here!
Aunt Piggy and the Clockwork Wizard have issued a bounty to eliminate the threat at the source.
The Objective: Track the pack to their den in the Rocky Cregs and eliminate the Alpha.
The Reward: Forget gold—money is not used on Zimrala. Payments are made in Gems.
The Loot: GMs should use the Kin’s Gem Treasure Generator found on Page 103 of the Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Rules (Trollgodfather Press).
"Listen up, GMs—this is how you fire up a campaign!"
The First Strike: Let the players attack first while the wolves are distracted by the sheep. Use this to teach Combat Dice Decay.
The Gem Economy: In the Cove, a gem is a utility. A Fire-Ruby might power a Gear-Forged upgrade, while a Zimralan Emerald might be used by the Clockwork Wizard to re-tune the Ancient Water Clock.
The Den Choice: If the players find pups in the den, remember the 50% Bonding Rule. A Hobb with a six-legged wolf companion is a force to be reckoned with!
Here is the breakdown of those mechanics as they work at the table:
1. THE FIRST STRIKE: COMBAT DICE DECAY
In Peggy’s Point, a long fight is a losing fight. To reflect the exhaustion of young, zero-experience PMs, we use Dice Decay.
The Set-Up: Because the wolves are busy eating the Hobbs' sheep, the PMs get a "Free Round" (The First Strike). They roll their full Combat Dice + Adds and the wolves roll nothing.
The Decay Mechanic: Starting in the second round of active combat, every time a PM takes more than 5 points of CON damage, they lose 1D6 from their total pool for the rest of the encounter. Which is a -1D6 penalty is removed directly from their Combat Dice pool.
The Goal: This teaches players to use their environment (like the Signal Beam) to end fights fast before their "stamina" (Dice) runs out.
2. THE GEM ECONOMY: UTILITY CONSUMPTION
In the Cove, gems aren't for jewelry; they are batteries for the survival of the community.
Fire-Ruby (The Overdrive): A PM can "spend" a Fire-Ruby to grant a Gear-Forged weapon (like the Stonehead clubs) an extra 2D6 of Heat Damage for one combat round.
Zimralan Emerald (Clock Tuning): When the "Mist Veil" starts to flicker, a PM can sacrifice an Emerald to the Clockwork Wizard. This requires a L2SR on INT.
Success: The Mist Veil is restored for 1D6 days.
Failure: The gem is shattered, and the Swamp Dread moves 1 mile closer to the village.
3. VILLAGE JOB: THE BEASTMASTER (TROLL WORLD REFUGEE)
You aren't just a laborer; you are a pack-leader. Whether you are a Hobb tending to the Cypress Shadow hounds or a Dairyman guarding the herds, you have the "Kinship" to bond with the wild things of the ridges.
THE BONDING ROLL (INITIATION) To claim a Cave Wolf pup (or any wild beast), you must show mercy during an encounter.
The Roll: Make a L3SR on CHR.
The Failure: If you fail, the beast remains wild and hostile. If you fail by more than 10 points, it attacks immediately.
THE 50% BONDING RULE (STARTING STATS) Once bonded, the pup becomes your "Active Companion." It starts at half the strength of a ridge-predator to reflect its youth and training.
CAVE WOLF PUP (MR): 60, (CD): 7D6 + 30; UDR: 2
PATHFINDER ADAPTATION (EMPATHIC LINK): As long as you are within 30 feet of your companion, you may share your Senses. If the wolf uses its sonar (Echo-Howl), you gain its benefits to "see" in total darkness.
GROWTH & MATURATION (THE AP CONNECTION)
In M!M!, power is earned through blood and sweat. Your companion grows as you earn Adventure Points (AP).
Growth Spurt: For every 100 AP you earn, the wolf regains 5 MR.
The Plateau: This continues until the wolf reaches its full adult MR of 120.
Mature Companion Feat: At 120 MR, you can choose to spend 500 AP to grant the wolf a "Support Action" (like Harrying Snap, giving you a +10 bonus to your Combat Total while you fight the same target).
THE WEIGHT OF THE BOND (LEGAL & LORE)
The Death Link: If you die, the wolf must make a L2SR on LK.
Result: Failure means it reverts to its wild, albino predatory state and will likely try to eat your party members.
Social Standing: In Peggy’s Point, having a Cave Wolf as a pet is seen as dangerous. The Pendleton Clan may require you to keep the beast muzzled within the village limits.
THE 50% BONDING RULE: MONSTER COMPANIONS
If the PMs show mercy and find pups in the granite caves, they can attempt to tame them.
The Bonding Roll: A PM (usually a Hobb or a Dairyman) must make a L3SR on CHR.
The 50% Limit: A bonded Cave Wolf pup starts with 50% of the Adult Stats.
(MR): 60, (CD): 7D6 + 30.
Growth: For every 100 Adventure Points the PM earns, the wolf regains 5 MR until it reaches the full 120 MR of an adult. If the PM dies, the wolf must make a L2SR on LK or revert to a wild, hostile state.
Start your Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 campaign at Peggy’s Cove. Featuring the Zimralian Dire Cave Wolf,
Gem-based bounties from Page 103 of MM 2.7 TRESURE GENERATOR, and expert GM notes from Captain Hedges.
THE FAMOUS CALL TO ACTION
DON’T JUST STAND THERE WITH YOUR BOOTS IN THE SALT!
CLAIM YOUR ARSENAL: Descend upon DriveThruRPG and seize the Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 core rules from Trollgodfather Press. Without the Gem Treasure Generator on Page 103, you are but a pauper in a world of kings!
UNFOLD THE MAP OF DESTINY: While within the Trollgodfather Press vaults at DriveThruRPG, secure the masterwork adventure "The Turkey Monster Invades." Within its pages lies the official Bodeleaf County Map—the only guide capable of leading you through the Rocky Cregs.
ASCEND TO THE INNER CIRCLE: Subscribe to the Adventures of Captain Hedges blog. Claim your place among the chroniclers of daily lore and tactical mastery.
THUNDER YOUR RESPONSE: Drop a comment below! When the Echo-Howl shatters the silence of the ridges, what instrument of defiance do you draw from your pack?
THE LUCK SAVING ROLL: SURVIVING THE SIGNAL
Because these wolves are albino and sonar-reliant, their greatest weakness is the high-intensity light from the Black Tower.
The Trigger: If the PMs successfully lure the pack into the direct, concentrated path of the Pendleton Signal Beam.
The Saving Roll: Each wolf in the beam must make a Level 4 Saving Roll (L4SR) on Luck.
The Failure: If the wolf fails its Luck roll, it is struck by "Flash-Blindness." Its Combat Total is reduced by 50% for that round as it reels from the photophobic shock.
The Success: If the wolf’s Luck holds, it managed to squint or turn away just in time, suffering only the standard 25% Photophobia penalty.
A NOTE FROM THE CAPTAIN TO THE GMS
Listen up, GMs—this is how you fire up a campaign in the Tygerian Isles! Don't let the "Zero Experience" tag fool you; Peggy’s Point is a meat-grinder if you don't teach your players to be smart. This is a survivalist community, and every gear in this village has to be greased with effort and blood.
The First Strike is a Lesson: When those 2d6 Zimralian Dire Cave Wolves show up, they are busy gorging on the Hobbs' sheep. Let the players attack first. Use this "Free Round" to show them the power of Combat Dice Decay. Let them feel the rush of a full dice pool, then watch the look on their faces when they take that first 5 points of CON damage and realize they have to pull a D6 out of their hand. It forces them to realize that in Peggy’s Point, you don't just "tank" damage—you avoid it.
The Gem Economy is a Utility: Don't let them hoard gems like they're playing a treasure-hunter game. In the Cove, a gem is a battery. If the Clockwork Apprentices find a Fire-Ruby, they shouldn't be thinking about gold; they should be thinking about how that ruby can overclock the Stonehead forge or the Signal Beam. If they find a Zimralan Emerald, remind them that the Hedge Wizard needs that stone to re-tune the Ancient Water Clock. If they don't spend the gems, the Mist Veil flickers, and the Swamp Dread gets a vote in who lives and who dies.
Luck is the Final Frontier: I always say, "Keep your powder dry and your gears greased!" In this campaign, a high Luck (LK) score is the only thing that stands between a "Morning Run" and becoming wolf feed. Since a L4SR on Luck is a brutal hurdle for an (MR) 120 monster, the players' tactical goal should always be to use their wits to lead the pack into the Signal Beam. When that light hits, that Luck roll is the only thing keeping the wolves from tearing them apart.
The Den Choice and the Bond: If the players show mercy and find pups in the granite caves, remember the 50% Bonding Rule. A Hobb with a six-legged wolf companion is a force to be reckoned with, but it costs them. They have to invest their Adventure Points into that beast's growth. It turns a pet into a partner and a liability into a legend.
Stay sharp, keep the clock ticking, and may your Luck always be high and your gems always be flawless!
Captain Hedges, signing off from the Shreveport Cabin.
Product Identity & Legal
The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges:
Settings & Lore: The world of Zimrala, the Tygerian Isles, the Bodeleaf County geography, and the original campaign primer "The Peggy’s Point Chronicle."
Characters & Groups: The specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona, Aunt Piggy Snortor (Aunt Peggy), the Stonehead Clan Artificers, and the Pendelton Clan guardians.
Original Monsters: The Zimralian Dire Cave Wolf (and all related six-legged albino variants) and the Tiger Force Shadow Saga entities.
Unique Items & Mechanics: The Ink of Anticipation, the Parchment of Echoes, the Lightning-Struck Oak War Club, and the specific application of the Universal Deadliness Rating (UDR) to the "Swamp Dread" and "Merdrun Siphoning" mechanics.
Monsters! Monsters!™ and Humans! Humans!™ (1st Edition) are trademarks of Ken St. Andre and Trollgodfather Press and are used with permission. The Monastery of Zimrala (MoZ) is the official campaign setting created by Ken St. Andre. The Gem Treasure Generator (p. 103) is the intellectual property of Ken St. Andre. All rights to the Starfaring (1976) crystal mechanics are the sole property of Ken St. Andre.
This work utilizes the Open D6 system; mechanics referenced are Open Game Content under the OGL v1.0a.
© 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
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