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Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Wednesday Musings: The Cypress Shadow Saga

 

Wednesday Musings: The Cypress Shadow Saga

February 4, 2026 | Dispatch from the Shreveport Cabin

The coffee is steaming, but the air coming off the Red River is cold enough to bite. While the rest of Shreveport is dreaming of Mardi Gras floats and King Cake, those of us at the cabin are watching the water level. The river is rising, and it’s bringing things up from the mud that were meant to stay buried.



๐ŸŠ The Shreveport Beat: Reality Bites

The local news is heavy this morning. We’ve got the Krewe of Centaur parade prep in full swing for this Saturday, but the shadows are lengthening on the streets:

  • The Greenwood Fatality: A tragic officer-involved incident on the 3700 block of Greenwood Road has the city on edge.

  • The Milton Street Fire: Justice is moving as two suspects face charges for the fire that claimed those two young sisters.

  • Linwood Shooting: Caddo Deputies are hunting a suspect after a woman was targeted on Linwood Avenue Monday night.

In the world of the Hedge Wizard, we know these aren't just "crimes." When the "Gloom" rises in the bayou, it spills into the city streets.


๐Ÿ‘ฃ The Twelve Mile Dread: A Campaign Report

We are officially entering the Swamp of Dread. This campaign focuses on the 14-mile stretch of the Twelve Mile Bayou—a place where the modern world of the I-220 bridge looms over a primordial nightmare.

The Sinker’s Curse: Legends tell of "Bayou Gold"—old-growth Sinker Cypress logs. But the "Heart of the Great Raft" is no mere log; it’s a petrified prison for an ancient entity.

The Sunken Cathedral of the Red Raft: Beneath a prehistoric logjam lies a dungeon where the water goes dead-still. Watch out for Old Ben, the 14-foot guardian alligator, and the Sinker Log Ossuary, where the logs themselves—the Wood-Woads—stand like tombstones waiting for the living.


๐Ÿ—ฃ️ Overheard at "The Rusty Anchor"

Roll 1D6 for local rumors at the Bossier docks:

  1. The Red's Rising: The river is flowing backward near the bayou—the spirits are hiding the Cathedral.

  2. Silver Shortage: A silver-haired woman bought every scrap of silver in town just to melt it into the muck.

  3. The Howling: Night-shift workers on I-220 hear a wolf that screams in French.

  4. Missing Bonepickers: A boat came back filled with Spanish moss and human teeth.

  5. Maman’s Mercy: Some say Maman Sang-Gris is the only thing keeping the real monsters out of Shreveport.

  6. The Mark: A white "X" on a cypress means you’ve hit Loa-Bound territory. Turn back.


Bonus martial new GMA Adventure 




GMA Adventure: Into the Shadow B&B

Series: The Shadow Saga | February 4, 2026

The Porch: The Morning Mist



The briefing begins on the massive, wrap-around porch of the Big Building. The mist is clinging to the cypress knees like a wet blanket, and the "Midweek Musing" is simple: when the world outside gets dark, you need a place with thick walls and even thicker wards.

The Hedge Wizard (Bayou Earl) stands by the railing, looking out at the murky water. He takes a long sip of chicory coffee and gestures for the team to follow him through the heavy oak doors. "The fog is too thick for a long talk out here. Let's move inside where the wards are active and the maps are dry."

Inside the Headquarters: The Cypress Shadow B&B



As the team steps off the porch and into the heart of the operations, the atmosphere shifts. The B&B provides the "Defenders" with everything they need to survive the Twelve Mile Dread:

  • The Great Hall (Briefing Area): The team gathers around a massive oak table covered in topographic maps of the Red River Basin.

  • The Morning Spread: A side table is loaded with local herbs and "Swamp-Gris" spices.

    • Game Mechanic: Eating breakfast here grants a +1D bonus to Stamina for the first 4 hours of the day.

  • The Sun Room: A glass-enclosed tactical center overlooking the bayou. This is where the team tracks the Rougarou sightings and maps the shifting sandbars.

  • The Safe Haven: You can feel the hum of the protection here. The B&B is the only place in the Twelve Mile where the "Miasma" doesn't reach. It’s a sanctuary for the weary and those whose Sanity is fraying.


The Tactical Briefing: Midweek Leakage



The Hedge Wizard taps the morning reports spread across the table. "We have three priority targets in the city. The Swamp of Dread is leaking into Shreveport."

  1. Greenwood Road (The Ghost Car): A patrol vehicle struck a "pedestrian" that was actually a Putrid Haunt. The car is currently at the impound lot leaking Ectoplasmic Slime.

  2. Linwood Avenue (The Silent Hit): A woman was shot by a Skull Maker (Extreme Threat). We need to recover the cypress-cored bullet to track the shooter’s origin.

  3. The Iron Gate (The Moss Boat): A salvage boat drifted back to the launch filled with Spanish moss and human teeth. We need to launch the B&B skiff to the Red Raft Remnant to find the missing Bonepickers.


The B&B Rumor Table (Overheard in the Great Hall)

Roll 1D6 as the team checks their gear:

  1. The Red's Rising: The river is flowing backward. (Effect: +1D to all Boating checks).

  2. Silver Shortage: A woman bought all the city’s silver. (Effect: Silver costs 2x today).

  3. The French Howl: A woman is screaming in French near I-220. (Effect: -1 to IQ checks).

  4. Maman’s Mercy: She might be a protector. (Effect: Sparing a creature grants +1 Luck).

  5. The Mark: A white "X" is on the mailbox. (Effect: The team is Marked by Maman Sang-Gris).

  6. The Missing Bonepickers: They found "Heart Gold." (Effect: Unlocks the location of the Sunken Cathedral).


The Armory & The Still-Room: Gearing for the Gloom



Once the targets are identified, the team moves to the rear of the Big Building. In the Armory, the air smells of sulfur, gun oil, and wet clay. Here, the transition from "modern hunter" to "shadow defender" is completed.

  • The Clay-Forge Hearth: In the corner of the Armory sits a specialized forge. This isn't for iron; it’s for smelting down that local Shreveport pawn-shop silver and mixing it with Red River clay.

    • The Benefit: Players can spend 1 hour to coat their ammunition or blades. Weapons treated here deal +2D damage to any Loup-Garou or Shadow-Wraith encountered in the Saga.

  • The Still-Room: Located just off the kitchen, this is where the Hedge Wizard distills the legendary "Wolf-Bane Moonshine."

    • The Benefit: One "pull" from a flask of this moonshine provides an immediate +2 Bonus to Sanity Saves (Lovecraft D6) for the next encounter, though it carries a -1 penalty to Agility for the same duration.

  • The Gear Locker: The B&B keeps a stash of "Borrowed" equipment from the Bonepickers.

    • The Kit: Includes "Snag-Hooks" for clearing Letiche off the hull and high-intensity floodlights for piercing the Miasma.

The Launch: The B&B Boat Slip

The briefing ends at the rear exit of the Big Building, which leads directly to the private, warded boat slip on the edge of the Twelve Mile Bayou.

The Hedge Wizard hands over the keys to the skiff. "The water is high, and the Red is pushing back. The bridge on I-220 is already humming with the French Howl. If you're going to the Sunken Cathedral, you go now while the coffee is still warm in your gut. Don't stop for anything that mimics a human voice unless you see a face you recognize."


The Passage: Navigating the Twelve Mile Dread

The skiff cuts through the black water, leaving the lights of Shreveport and the hum of I-220 behind. As the team passes the Iron Gate (Hwy 71 Boat Launch), the GPS fails, replaced by the rhythmic "thrum" of the Hedge Wizard’s compass.

  • The Miasma: A thick, yellow-green fog settles over the boat. Every player must make a CON/Physique Save (or use a Gris-Gris Filter) to avoid the "Shivering Sickness."

  • The Drowned Road: Passing beneath the massive concrete pillars of the I-220 bridge, the team enters the heart of Maman Sang-Gris’s territory. The "French Howl" echoes off the concrete, and the shadows beneath the bridge start to detach from the pillars—these are Letiche (MR 45), waiting to capsize the boat.

The Discovery: The Red Raft Remnant

The bayou suddenly widens into a graveyard of timber. This is the Red Raft Remnant, where the current stops completely. In the center of this impassable logjam, a massive whirlpool of silt and Spanish moss marks the entrance to the Sunken Cathedral.

  • The Sinker Log Ossuary: Before reaching the Cathedral, the boat must navigate a field of upright, petrified cypress logs.

  • The Sentinel: Perched on the largest log is Old Ben, the 14-foot alligator guardian.

  • Old Ben (Guardian of the Red)

    • Monster Rating (MR): 210

    • Deadliness Rating: 4

    • Combat Adds: +105

    • Armor: 8 points (Ancient, petrified scales)

    Special Abilities:

    • Capsize: If Old Ben attacks the boat and wins the round, the players must make a Level 2 DEX Saving Throw or the skiff is overturned.

    • Crushing Jaws: On any combat win where Old Ben rolls 15+ higher than his opponent, he deals triple damage as he snaps bone and steel.

    • Possessed Hiss: Once per combat, Old Ben can release a spiritual hiss. All players must make a Level 1 IQ Saving Throw or be Stunned for 1 round by the psychic weight of the swamp.

    • The Choice: The team can attempt to sneak past (DEX/Stealth) or leave a Tithe of Silver on the flat "Offering Stone" protruding from the muck. If they fail or refuse, Old Ben (MR 210) attacks, his tail sweep capable of splintering the boat.

    • As the skiff glides onto the interior "beach" of Red River sand and crushed alligator teeth, the silence of the swamp is replaced by the heavy, rhythmic thrumming of the Red River pulsing against the logs above.

    • Alligator Man Encounter: The Sandbar Ambush

    • As the skiff’s hull grinds against the Red River sand of the interior beach, the silence is broken by a sudden, heavy splashing from the dark perimeter. Two Alligator Men—seven-foot-tall horrors with human torsos and armored reptilian hides—burst from the shallow water to contest the landing.

Alligator Man (Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Stats)

  • Monster Rating (MR): 90

  • Deadliness Rating: 3

  • Combat Adds: +45

  • Armor: 4 points (Overlapping scales)

Special Abilities:

  • Death Roll: On a combat win of 10+ points, the creature grapples the player. The target takes 2D6 automatic damage per turn until they succeed on a STR Saving Throw to break free.

  • Tail Sweep: Once per encounter, they can lash their tail in a wide arc. All players on the sandbar must make a DEX Saving Throw or be knocked prone, losing their next combat action.

The Tactic: They strike while the team is most vulnerable—caught between the boat and the shore. One uses a Tail Sweep to clear the deck of the skiff, while the other attempts to drag the lead explorer into the deeper water for a Death Roll.

Entering the Sunken Cathedral

As the team clears the Ossuary, the logs begin to form a structured "tunnel"—the Gateway of Hanging Moss. The boat is pulled forward by an unnatural undertow, dragging the team beneath the prehistoric logjam and into the air-filled pocket of the Cathedral.

  • The Atmosphere: The air inside smells of sulfur and rotted lilies. The walls are interlocking ribs of petrified wood, glowing with a faint, bioluminescent moss.

  • The Welcome: As the boat hits the interior "beach" of white river sand, the team hears the faint sound of a woman singing a French lullaby. Maman Sang-Gris knows her guests have arrived.


The Interior: Into the Sunken Cathedral

The Gateway of Hanging Moss

The entrance is a claustrophobic tunnel where the Spanish moss hangs so thick it brushes the players' faces like cold, wet fingers.

  • The Guardian’s Toll: If the team didn't appease Old Ben outside, his presence is felt here as he bumps the bottom of the boat, forcing a DEX/Balance save to avoid being dumped into the shallow, bone-filled water.

  • The Atmosphere: The air is breathable but heavy with the scent of "Sewer Plague." Without a Gris-Gris filter, players suffer a -1 penalty to all physical actions due to the oppressive humidity.

  • Area 1: The Gateway of Hanging Moss

    • Hazard Type: Environmental / Magical Trap

    • Effect: The moss is a sentient extension of the Sinker’s Curse. It acts as both camouflage and a physical deterrent.

    • Mechanical Threat: Choking Vines. If the boat moves faster than a slow crawl, the moss entangles the passengers and the motor.

    • Saving Throw: Level 1 DEX Save to avoid being pulled from the boat.

    • Damage: If entangled, the player takes 1D6 non-lethal crushing damage per turn as the moss tightens around the throat.

    • Counter: It can be cleared with fire or a silver-clay blade. Using a motor in the moss triggers an immediate Mechanical Failure check for the boat.

Area 2: The Sinker Log Ossuary

The claustrophobic tunnel of hanging moss finally opens into a massive, vaulted chamber. The ceiling is a jagged, tangled mess of prehistoric logs that seem to groan under the weight of the river above. Below, the water is unnaturally still, black, and thick with the smell of stagnant silt.

The "Tombstones" Filling the chamber are hundreds of petrified Sinker Cypress logs, standing perfectly upright in the muck like a flooded graveyard. As the boat glides closer, the horror becomes clear: each log has a weathered human skull fused directly into the top grain—the final, petrified remains of "Bonepickers" who came for the gold and became part of the Raft.

The Wood-Woad Ambush The silence is a trap. If the team speaks above a whisper or the boat strikes a log, the "dead" timber stirs. Three specific logs—slick with black moss and ancient rot—detach from the mud with a wet, sucking sound.

  • Creature: Wood-Woads (3)

  • Monster Rating (MR): 65

  • Combat Adds: +32

  • Armor: 5 points (Petrified Bark)

Tactics & Hazards:

  • The Planting: The Wood-Woads do not strike to kill; they attempt to grapple. If a Wood-Woad wins a combat round, it drags the player into the waist-deep muck to "plant" them.

  • The Silt-Trap: The floor of this chamber is a slurry of quicksand. Any player pulled into the water or stepping out of the boat must succeed on a Level 1 STR Saving Throw each turn or remain immobilized, becoming an easy target for the Wood-Woads.

  • Weakness: Despite their petrified state, they remain vulnerable to fire. Any fire-based attack deals double damage but risks igniting the stagnant swamp gas trapped in the vaulted ceiling.


Area 3: The Voodoo Still-House



In the center of the vaulted chamber, rising out of the black water like a skeletal monument, is an elevated shack. It is constructed from the rotted, bleached ribs of a 19th-century steamboat, the wood sun-bleached even in the darkness and draped in tattered remains of paddle-wheel netting.

The Prisoner: The Traiteur Chained directly to the rusted iron steering wheel of the old wreck is a Traiteur (a swamp faith healer). His skin is sallow from the miasma, and his eyes are clouded with cataracts. If the team breaks his chains, he clutches at them with trembling hands, gasping out a final, frantic warning:

"She isn't just a wolf... she’s the shadow between the trees. You hit the hide, you hit nothing. Use the silver clay, or you’re just feeding the mud. The shadow eats the lead, but the clay holds the soul!"

The Loot: Provisions for the Saga Shelved behind the steering column in crates marked with faded river-port stamps, the team finds specialized supplies prepared by the Traiteur before his capture:

  • Jars of "Wolf-Bane Moonshine" (3): Distilled with pungent swamp herbs. Provides a +2 bonus to Sanity Saves (Lovecraft D6) for one encounter.

  • Gris-Gris Bags of "Red River Silver-Clay" (4): Pungent, metallic-smelling mud. When smeared on a weapon, it allows the item to strike Maman Sang-Gris while she is in her "Shadow-Shift" form.

  • The Traiteur’s Charm: A necklace of alligator scutes. Grants the wearer a Level 1 Saving Throw against the "Shivering Sickness" miasma.

The Hazard: The Creaking Ribs The Still-House is structurally unstable. Every round of heavy movement or combat inside the shack requires a Level 1 DEX Saving Throw. On a failure, the player falls through the rotted floorboards into the "Silt-Trap" below, where the Alligator Men or Wood-Woads may still be lurking.


Area 4: The Sentinel Cages



Guarding the only exit from the Still-House are two massive iron cages suspended from the log-ceiling by rusted chains. These house the Alligator Men (MR 90) who serve as Maman’s elite jailers.

  • The Encounter: As soon as the Traiteur is freed or the loot is touched, the bottom of the cages drop out. The creatures hit the shallow water with a roar, blocking the path forward.

  • The Goal: The team must defeat these brutes to reach the tunnel entrance.

  • does your team takeout the lightermen jailors? 

  • or do they sneek pass

  • what if they want to look in the cages they find half eaten humans that have been reported missing their eating them alive. for this revalation they take 2d6 IQ/INANSTY SDAMAGE FROM THE LOVECRAFT VARRIENT RULES. 

  • MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SECTION WHEN YOU DUNE HERE



Area 5: The Veins of the Raft (The Long Tunnel)



Beyond the sentinel cages lies a narrow, 100-yard tunnel sloping upward toward the heart of the Raft. The walls are not stone, but tightly packed, petrified logs that pulse with a faint, rhythmic vibration from the river's current.

The Hazard: The Whispering Miasma The tunnel acts as a natural wind-pipe for the swamp’s pressurized gases. As the air whistles through the cracks in the logs, players must make a Level 2 IQ/Sanity Save. On a failure, they begin to hear the voices of lost Bonepickers calling their names, pleading for them to step into the dark gaps between the timbers.

The Obstacle: The Gloom Oozekin The floor and walls are coated in a vibrating, translucent film of "Gloom Slime." This is a colony of Oozekin—sentient, gelatinous humanoids created by the mad wizard Ogberdammus. They serve as Maman’s border guards, sensing the vibrations of the river and any intruders.

  • Movement Penalty: The floor is extremely slick. Any movement faster than a slow walk requires a Level 2 DEX Save to avoid sliding back toward the Alligator Men in Area 4.

  • Creature: Oozekin (MR 40)

    • Attributes: STR 15, CON 30, DEX 8, SPD 15, CHAR 8, IQ 15, LK 15, WIZ 15.

    • Fear Factor: Their burbling, wet voices and clear, gelatinous bodies require a Level 2 IQ Saving Throw to avoid being Stunned by fear.

  • Special Ability (Acidic Spite): Every point of Spite damage dealt by an Oozekin inflicts 3 points of acid burn to organic creatures.

  • Special Ability (Asphyxiation): They attack by splashing onto a foe’s face, attempting to enter the nose or mouth to fill the lungs.

  • Vulnerability: Fire desiccates them into powder instantly. Edged weapons cause wounds that close quickly, and contact with water allows them to regenerate.

The Tactic: The Oozekin remain flat against the walls (Gloom Slime) until a player fails their Level 2 DEX Save or Level 2 IQ/Sanity Save. Once a player is prone or distracted by the Miasma, the Oozekin reform into their humanoid shapes to splash onto the target’s face while their soft, burbling voices mimic the whispers of the drowning.




Area 6: The Heart of the Raft (The Final Chamber)



The narrow, pulsing tunnel finally terminates in the largest "hall" of the Sunken Cathedral. Here, the petrified logs interlock with impossible precision to form a massive, natural dome. The ceiling is draped in bioluminescent moss that casts a sickly, pale-green light over the chamber. In the center, a ritual circle of stark white river sand and bleached human bones marks the sanctuary of the Swamp Queen.

The Confrontation: Maman Sang-Gris She stands in the center of the bone-circle, her long silver hair flowing around her as if she were suspended in water. She wears no armor and carries no weapon, watching the team with cold, luminous eyes that seem to pierce the very "Gloom" of the bayou.

  • Phase 1: The Sorceress

    • Action: Maman casts Illusions of the Great Raft.

    • Effect: The walls of the dome appear to splinter and collapse inward. Every player must succeed on a Level 2 IQ/Sanity Save. On a failure, they believe they are being crushed and drowned by falling timber, suffering a -3D penalty to all combat and attribute rolls due to overwhelming terror.

  • Phase 2: The Shadow-Shift

    • Trigger: When Maman is reduced to 50% of her starting MR.

    • Action: She lets out a piercing French howl that shatters the glowing moss, plunging the room into magical darkness. She dissolves into her Shadow-Rougarou form—a flickering, smoke-like predator that stalks through the log walls.

    • The Mechanic: In this form, she is immune to all physical and magical damage unless the weapon has been treated with the Red River Silver-Clay found in the Still-House.

The Environment: The Pulsing Floor The floor of the Heart is not solid; it is a raft of interlocking logs floating over a deep, dark vortex. Any player forced out of the sand circle during combat must make a Level 2 DEX Save each turn or be pulled into the "Sinker Gaps," where they risk being trapped beneath the Raft forever.



Captain Earl’s Master GM Notes: 

Random Encounter Table: Cryptids of the Twelve Mile

Roll (1D6)CreatureM!M! 2.7 MRCombat DiceDeadlinessDescription & Special Rules
1Feux FolletsN/AN/AEnv.Glowing "will-o'-the-wisps." Level 2 IQ Save or boat drifts into a Sinker Gap (Area 6 Hazard).
2Putrid Haunts455D6+222Moss-covered zombies mimicking logs. Leech Vomit: On a hit, target loses 2 CON/Stamina points.
3The Letiche12013D6+6037ft swamp monsters. Capsize: If they win a round by 10+, the boat takes a Level 3 STR Save to stay upright.
4Skull Makers21022D6+1054Ghostly silent stalkers. Ghost-Step: Only damaged by Silver-Clay weapons or magical effects.
5The Rougarou45046D6+2255Wolf-headed shapeshifter. Frenzy: When reduced to half MR, it gains +50 MR instantly.
6The SwarmVARIESVARIESEXTREMERoll twice and combine. The swamp is alive and it wants the team dead.



Entering The Sunken Cathedral

Listen up, because the Sunken Cathedral isn't just a dungeon—it’s a living, breathing graveyard of the Great Red River Raft. The atmosphere should be thick enough to choke a mule. If the players aren't sweating or checking their corners, you aren't laying the "Dread" on thick enough. Keep the "Shadow-Shift" mechanics sharp and make sure they feel the rhythmic pulsing of the river logs beneath their boots. This is my house, my rules, and my Bayou.


Area 1: The Gateway of Hanging Moss

The team enters via the Gateway of Hanging Moss. This is your "Gatekeeper." The moss is a sentient extension of the Sinker’s Curse. If they mess up the Level 2 DEX Save, they start the crawl wet, tired, and choked by vines that act like cold, wet fingers pulling them toward the black water. Once they clear the moss, the skiff grinds against the Sandbar (Area 6 Boundary).

The Landing (Area 6 Boundary)

This is where the boat stays. The Sandbar is the only solid ground; everything else is a floating raft of petrified logs over a deep, dark vortex. If the team stays in the boat, they have cover but are one Capsize away from a total wipeout. If they step onto the sand, they can fight, but Maman's magic can shove them into the Sinker Gaps.

Area 2: The Sinker Log Ossuary

The tunnel opens into a massive, vaulted chamber. Hundreds of petrified Cypress logs stand perfectly upright in the muck like tombstones, each with a human skull fused into the top grain—the final work of the Skull Maker. Use the Wood-Woads (MR 65) here to show them the environment is hostile. They detach from the mud to grapple and "plant" players into the silt.

Area 3: The Voodoo Still-House



In the center sits an elevated shack built from the rotted, bleached ribs of a 19th-century steamboat. Chained to the steering wheel is the Traiteur. Give the players the Silver-Clay and Wolf-Bane Moonshine here; they cannot win the final fight without it. Let the Traiteur gasp out his warning: "The shadow eats the lead, but the clay holds the soul!" It builds the hype for what’s coming.

Area 4: The Sentinel Cages



Guarding the exit from the Still-House are massive iron cages suspended from the log-ceiling by rusted chains. As soon as the Traiteur is freed or the loot is touched, the bottom of the cages drop out. Two Alligator Men (MR 90) hit the shallow water with a roar. Use their Death Roll to drain player Luck and Stamina before they can even think about the final chamber.

Area 5: The Veins of the Raft (The Long Tunnel)



Beyond the cages lies a narrow, 100-yard tunnel that acts as a wind-pipe for the Whispering Miasma. The walls pulse with a rhythmic vibration. The floor is slick with Gloom Slime—sentient Oozekin (MR 40). Players must make a Level 2 IQ/Sanity Save against the voices of lost Bonepickers and a Level 2 DEX Save to keep from sliding. The Oozekin reform from the slime to splash onto faces and attempt Asphyxiation on anyone who falls.

Area 6: The Heart of the Raft (The Final Showdown)



The logs interlock to form a natural dome. Maman Sang-Gris stands in the center of a bone-circle, her silver hair flowing as if underwater. She doesn't move; she’s the eye of the storm.

  • Phase 1 (The Sorceress): She casts Illusions of the Great Raft. Force a Level 2 IQ/Sanity Save or players believe they are being crushed by falling timber, taking a -3D penalty to all rolls.

  • Phase 2 (The Shadow-Shift): When she hits 50% MR, she lets out a howl and dissolves into her Shadow-Rougarou form. She becomes a flickering, smoke-like predator immune to all damage unless the team prepped their weapons with the Red River Silver-Clay.



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, and the specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona. The Cypress Shadow B&B (The Big Building), the "Twelve Mile Terror" campaign, the Twelve Mile Dread, the Sunken Cathedral, the Red Raft Remnant, the Sinker Log Ossuary, the Gateway of Hanging Moss, and the adventure "The Shadow Over Shreveport." Original characters and entities including Maman Sang-Gris, Bayou Earl, the Skull Maker, Old Ben, the Traiteur, the Alligator Men (Caiman-Kin), the Wood-Woads, and the Shadow-Rougarou. 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, The Plumb of Gravity’s Anchor, Wolf-Bane Moonshine, and Red River Silver-Clay.

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 Oozekin (created by Marzio Ombra) are used as compatible fan content. This work utilizes the Open D6 system; mechanics are Open Game Content under the OGL v1.0a. Specific mechanics for Lovecraft D6, Sanity Tables, and Mythos rules are the intellectual property of Bolt Thrower Press.

Artistry by VIDEIO GAME DEVOLPER TOLLS © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.




4 AM Jitters: The Thing Beneath the Fog

 

4 AM Jitters: The Thing Beneath the Fog


If you’re reading this, you’re either a night owl or the swamp has woken you up with its cold, wet fingers. At 4:00 AM, the jitters hit harder than the caffeine. Outside, the Red River has been swallowed whole by a mist so thick you could carve your name in it.

But it’s the silence that’s wrong. Usually, the swamp has a rhythm—the rustle of nutria, the distant call of an owl. Not tonight. Tonight, the Cypress Swamp is holding its breath, waiting for something to pass by.

I was looking out toward the riverbank when I saw it—or thought I did. A slow, deliberate wake cutting across the current, headed straight for the cypress knees near the porch. It didn't move like a fish or a gator. Then came the sound underneath the floorboards: a distinct skitter-scratch against the wood. It wasn't the slow bump of a stray log; it was the sound of sharp, wet claws looking for a grip.

I remembered the old Cajun tales of the Letiche. These are the restless spirits of the abandoned—unbaptized souls raised by alligators in the deepest parts of the bayou. They aren't just myths; they are feral, human-like things with hide for skin and claws meant for tearing. They don't just swim; they hunt.

The fog is pressing against the glass now. I can see the absence of light where they stand among the cypress knees. They are the shadows that don't move when the wind blows. They’ve found the Shreveport Cabin, and they’ve smelled the coffee. Or maybe they’ve smelled the soul inside.


Monster Files: The Letiche (Swamp Ghoul)

For those of you looking to bring this dread to your own table, I’ve hammered out the stats for our two primary systems.

Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Stats

  • Monster Rating (MR): 45 (Roll 5D6 + 23)

  • Deadliness Rating: 2

  • Combat Adds: +23

  • Special Abilities:

    • Amphibious: Moves at full speed in water and muck.

    • Feral Grapple: If they win a combat round, the target must make a Level 2 SR on Strength or be dragged toward the water.

    • The Chills: A screech that forces a Level 1 SR on Luck; failure results in paralysis for one round.

Open D6 Stats

  • Type: Aquatic Cryptid

  • Attributes: AGI 4D (Stealth 6D), MECH 1D, KNOW 1D, PER 4D (Tracking 5D+1), STR 3D (Swimming 5D), TECH 1D

  • Special Abilities:

    • Claws/Teeth: STR+1D damage.

    • Swamp Camouflage: +2D to Stealth in water or marsh.

    • Fear: Moderate (15) Willpower roll or become Shaken.


nster Files: The Letiche (MoZ Swamp Ghoul Variant)

Out here in the Red River fog, we aren't just dealing with swamp legends—we are dealing with a cursed transformation. According to the Monsterary of Zimrala, being a ghoul is a disease of the body and mind. These creatures regenerate from every wound, but each time they do, they return in a more extreme, monstrous shape. Their jaws elongate, their skin turns a scabby swamp-green, and they develop an extraordinary hunger for things we’d call rotten.

Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Stats

  • Monster Rating (MR): 45 (Base attributes modified by Ghoul infection).

  • Deadliness Rating: 2

  • Attribute Modifiers: $STR \times 2$, $CON \times 1.5$, $DEX \times 0.67$, $SPD \times 1$, $INT \times 0.5$, $WIZ \times 0.5$, $CHR \times 0.5$, $LK \times 0.5$.

  • Special Abilities:

    • Regeneration: Heals 1 point per combat round. If "killed" without fire or total destruction, it returns later in a more monstrous form with a higher MR.

    • Infection: Any successful hit with claws or bite requires a Level 2 SR on CON to avoid contracting the Ghoul bacterium.

    • Low-Light Vision: Perception and combat adds are doubled in the fog; halved in bright light.

    • The Heals ‘Em Clause: A Heals ‘Em spell can cure the disease if cast in the early stages of infection.

Open D6 Stats

  • Type: Aquatic Ghoul

  • Attributes: AGI 2D+2 (Claws/Bite 4D), MECH 1D, KNOW 1D, PER 4D (Search: Tracking 6D), STR 5D (Lifting 6D), TECH 1D

  • Special Abilities:

    • Regeneration: Recovers 1 Health point per round.

    • Hardened Talons: Does STR+2D damage.

    • Fear: Moderate (15) Willpower roll or become Shaken by their elongated jaws and sallow, scabby skin.

    • Weakness (Fire): Fire damage cannot be regenerated and causes the creature to flee.

The Watchman’s Log

  • Current Temp: 41°F (The kind of cold that sinks into your soul)

  • Visibility: Zero. The cypress trees have vanished into the white.

  • Warning: If you’re out on the water and hear scratching at the bottom of your boat... don't look over the side. Stay alert, fellow Monsters. Some things in the Bayou don't sleep, and they are getting closer.

— Captain Earl C. Hedges Jr.


Product Identity & Legal The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The Tygerian Isles, the specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona, and the "Swamp Dread" mechanics of "The Twelve Mile Terror." Monsters! Monsters! and The Monastery of Zimrala (MoZ) are trademarks/property of Ken St. Andre and Trollgodfather Press and are used with permission. Mechanics referenced from the D6 System are used under the OGL. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.



Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Quick Coffee & Swamp Whispers

 Quick Coffee & Swamp Whispers



Morning Log — The Shreveport Cabin It's Bayu Tuesday, the “Coffee’s black, the swamp is grey, and the mind is finally starting to churn. I’ve just finished 'derping' out a brand new GMA for you all—featuring the high-level math and necrotic terror of the Arch-Magus himself. My brain is about 40% caffeinated, but the Magister is already at 100% deadliness.”

Good morning, My Fellow Monsters!

I’m sitting here with my mug, watching the fog roll off the Red River, trying to shake the cobwebs loose. I just posted the full, unabridged GMA: Bayou Tuesday — The Arch-Magus of the Walking Wet. It’s got everything: Specialist math, reskinned Ken St. Andre spells, and enough "Swamp Dread" to make you double-check your locks.

I’m heading out shortly to take care of some personal business today, so I won’t be back online for a while. Dive into the new GMA, check out the cover art by Angela Head, and try not to let the Aquazombies get a grip on your character sheets while I’m away.

Stay monstrous, stay sharp, and I'll catch you all on the flip side.

— Captain Earl C. Hedges Jr.

GOOD MORNING ITS BAYOU TUEDAY AND I DROPED A NEW FREE GMA ON THE WEBSOTE THIS MORNING

 

GMA: Bayou Tuesday — The Arch-Magus of the Walking Wet



Watchman’s Log – Shift 3 (06:45 AM) “The blue ‘Cajun Spirit Lights’ are fading into the morning mist, but the buzzing hasn't stopped. I saw him—the Magister—standing on the water’s surface near the east pilings. He isn't human anymore; he’s a scholar made of colorless sludge and algae, draped in a cape that seems to swallow the lantern light. He held a forked rod that hummed like a million angry insects. He looked at the B&B, and the very walls seemed to shift and reform. We’re trapped in a mirage now, and the ‘Walking Wet’ are scratching at the floorboards.”

Good morning to all my fellow Monsters! It is Tuesday, February 3, 2026. The fog is thick enough to choke a ghost, and the coffee is the only thing keeping the damp from settling in my marrow. Welcome to the Cypress Shadow B&B. While I’m here reorganizing the files and cleaning the cabin, the "guests" out in the swamp are getting restless.

Bayou Vitals: The Rhythm of the Swamp

The rhythm of the river dictates the survival of the day:

  • Sunrise: 7:11 AM

  • Sunset: 5:52 PM

  • Moonrise: 6:52 PM

  • Moonset: 7:59 AM

  • Weather: A bone-chilling 43°F start, climbing to a damp, overcast high of 61°F. Maximum "Swamp Dread" visibility penalties are in effect.


THE FEATURED FOE: Magister Muck (The Slime-Liche)

A former Wizard of the Guild who underwent seven years of training to master the kremm, Magister Muck’s mind "unfolded" into a Specialist Necromancer after a fatal encounter with the Slime God. He is a high-level Vancian horror who has traded his humanity for absolute efficiency in the dark arts.

Attributes & Stats:

  • Level: 5 Specialist Necromancer

  • MR: 200 (Combat Adds: +34)

  • STR: 12 | INT: 18 | LK: 12 | CON: 15 | DEX: 14 | CHR: 15 | SPD: 13 | WIZ: 20

  • Special Abilities: * Specialist Casting: All Necromancy, Summoning, and Cosmic spells are cast at Half-Cost.

    • Magical Aptitude: Further reduces WIZ cost by (Level - Spell Level).

    • Focus Affinity: His Forked Rod (6D6) acts as a focus and stores WIZ equal to his level.

    • Slime Form: Immune to non-magical weapons. Fire and Electricity deal normal damage. Every "6" rolled by an attacker deals 3 acid damage back to them.

    • Armor: Anti-matter Cape (Absorbs 50 hits); Boots of Dancing (DEX SRs to hit him are made at his level).


THE SPELLBOOK: Unfolded Horrors

Because he is a Specialist, these spells cost him half the WIZ listed:

  • Unlucky Mosquitoes (Combat - 4 WIZ): A Bayou-reskin of the Troll God’s "Unlucky Bees." Summons a blood-bloated cloud of etheric mosquitoes. Does magical damage equal to the target’s Luck attribute. Survivors receive a permanent +1 Luck.

  • Burning Acid Within (Necromancy - 15 WIZ): Targets the moisture in a victim's body, turning it to hyper-corrosive acid. Deals 1D6 CON damage per round, ignoring non-magical armor.

  • The Worms Go In (Necromancy - 7 WIZ): Insinuates maggots in the brain. They do 1D6 CON and 1D6 INT damage per round.

  • Spirit Mastery (Conjuring - 4 WIZ): Enslaves the target if the Liche's (INT+WIZ+CHR) is greater than the target's total.

  • Hidey Hole (Cosmic - 5 WIZ): Makes the Liche and all within 5 feet invisible for 10 minutes. 50% reduction to enemy combat totals.

  • Mirage (Cosmic - 4 WIZ): Creates a permanent hallucination of walls or floors. Intangible but visually perfect.

  • Dem Bones Gonna Rise (Conjuring - 5 WIZ): Summons MR 27 skeletons from loose earth.

  • Know Your Foe (Cosmic - 3 WIZ): Instantly determines the MR or attribute total of any one target.


THE HORDE: The Walking Wet (Aquazombies)

MR: 100 | Combat Dice: 11D6 + 50 These are victims "touched" by the Slime God. In any round where an Aquazombie scores four or more 6s, a victim in melee must make a L2-SR on INT to avoid possession. If failed, the victim turns into an Aquazombie over a period of weeks (1/2 CON). Only Healing Feeling and Curses Foiled can cure this within 3 days.


The Captain’s Final Word

I’m finishing the floors, but I’m keepin’ a bucket of baking soda and a torch handy. This Slime-Liche isn't just lookin' for a room—he’s lookin' to melt the competition and expand his colony. If you're rollin' dice today, watch your INT score. Once the worms get in, there ain't much left but the jitters.

Stay monstrous. Stay smart. Watch the shadows.

— Captain Earl C. Hedges Jr.


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 "Cypress Shadow B&B" location, the "Swamp Dread" mechanics, and the "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona. Monsters! Monsters! and Humans! Humans! are trademarks of Ken St. Andre and Trollgodfather Press and are used with permission. The "Unlucky Mosquitoes" is a reskin of "Unlucky Bees" by Ken St. Andre. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.

Monday, February 2, 2026

3AM WHISPERS Monday at the Shreveport Cabin

 

Deep Cleans and Digital Dreams: Monday at the Shreveport Cabin



Good morning to all my fellow Monsters! It is Monday, February 2, 2026, and the air here on the Red River is thick with the scent of cypress and the quiet hum of progress.

Today, the Captain is taking a bit of a breather from the front lines to "take care of business." I’m diving deep into the laptop files, sweeping out the digital cobwebs, and reorganizing the upcoming projects that have been simmering in the back of my mind.

But it’s not just the digital world getting a reset. I’m taking the time to clean the Cabin as well. There’s a certain power in clearing the physical space where the stories are born—scrubbing the decks and getting the Shreveport Cabin ship-shape. It’s a day for logistics, coffee, and preparation.

I’ve got some major announcements coming your way soon for a special 3 AM Morning Whispers post. Trust me, you’ll want to be awake for that one—the shadows are moving, and the ink is drying on something big.

Bayou Vitals: The Rhythm of the Swamp

To keep you grounded in the rhythm of the Red River, here is your daily watch for the Shreveport Cabin:

  • Sunrise: 7:12 AM

  • Sunset: 5:51 PM

  • Moonrise: 5:48 PM

  • Moonset: 7:22 AM

  • Weather: A cool, misty morning giving way to a damp afternoon. Expect highs around 58°F with the swamp fog clinging to the cypress knees until midday.


What’s on the Horizon?

While I’m cleaning up these files and straightening up the Cabin, I’m seeing the blueprints for new adventures and the shadows of the Tygerian Isles all starting to align. Reorganizing isn't just about deleting old files; it's about making room for the new legends we are about to build together.

Thanks to all my fans for sticking by me. Stay monstrous, stay hungry, and keep an eye on the river.

— Captain Earl C. Hedges Jr.


Product Identity & Legal The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The Tygerian Isles and the specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona. Monsters! Monsters! and The Monastery of Zimrala (MoZ) are trademarks/property of Ken St. Andre and Trollgodfather Press and are used with permission. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.