Too Many Bones: 40 Waves in Daelore

Too Many Bones: 40 Waves in Daelore Rulebook

Table of Contents

General Encounter Cards (001–026)
Solo Encounter Cards (001–012)

General Encounter Cards (001–026)

General 001: Frozen VI

"Do you want to build a snowloc?"

Though our first reaction to this unseasonably cold and snowy weather was to engage in a carefree frolic, our gaiety has now turned to concern as the temperature continues to drop. For the first time in forever, a portion of the Sibron no longer flows free, as the raft has been encased in a sheet of ice. This thing was already a fixer upper when we came aboard; now, no one's sure if it's going to stand up to the strain.

To make matters worse, a buzz on the horizon signals that mechs are nearby. Do we fight off our incoming assailants, or venture into the unknown depths to free the raft?

General 002: Heart of the Sibron

In hindsight, bragging that your raft is "unsinkable" is probably asking for trouble. Now, an inattentive pilot has crashed us into some kind of unnaturally cold rock, and the whole craft is going under! It doesn't help, of course, that some enterprising baddies were lying in wait for us, hopping aboard the moment the raft stalled on the water.

We don't have any life rafts – what kind of sailor puts a life raft on a regular raft? – but we may still be able to keep this thing from going under. We just need to get these baddies out of of here first. If we never let go, we'll soon be kings (and queens) of the world!

General 003: What? Krelln are Evolving!

It's a tale as old as time. One species adapts to survive, and another must keep up or suffer the consequences. So it is with Gearlocs. We learned to keep our toes out of the Sibron, and it was only a matter of time before the krelln would change, too.

It's just too bad the change had to be this gross! One otherwise idyllic day on the water, our journey is interrupted by the moist pitter-patter of proto-footfalls on raftwood. A school of krelln has grown feet, and they're out for some above-water dining. Our only choice is to adapt again, but how? Do we beat the krelln back into the water, or scramble ashore in recognition of their aquatic dominance?

General 004: Liquid Metal

An eagle-eyed lookout spots what appears to be a tentacle creeping out of the water, but further inspection reveals something more sinister: It looks like a periscope, with a dull metal sheen that marks it as one of Nobulous's mechs.

Krelln activity has been light today... so far. At our last port, we traded with a passing Molhnor for an electrical charge which we could throw into the water to zap the mechs, but that kind of activity would probably lure the aquatic life right to us...

General 005: Fishin' Tales

Mistakes were made. To avoid a choppy stretch on the river, we navigated into a smaller tributary for a spell, hoping to reconnect to the Sibron further downstream. Unfortunately, none of us noticed the signs reading "Grint Fisheries" until too late.

What could Nobulous want with all these krelln? The churning of their movement is propelling us faster and further into an operation clearly not sanctioned by Daelorian Natural Resources. To our left, some baddies appear to be pilfering a few of the surplus fish for their supper, and to our right is a cordoned-off area, the glass barriers thudding as huge tails and tentacles thrash against them. We'll probably be safe from the fisherfolk in there, but only because no one would be stupid enough to follow us. Right?

General 006: Flash (Flood) Mob

The shallow stretches of the Sibron are often the most dangerous. Even if you maneuver the raft around sandbars and rocks, the water isn't deep enough to deter enemies from wading in and surrounding you. The ruffians who hang around the river know this, but rather than coming at us with battle cries on their lips, they're doing... Wait, what are they doing?

The bandits are crowding the raft now, and while they're definitely still brandishing weapons, they're also engaged in some sort of bizarre choreographed dance, complete with animal sounds and catchphrases shouted in unison. It seems they've organized this display ahead of time, but to what end? Simply to catch us off-guard? To make us uncomfortable? If that was their aim, it's a smashing success.

General 007: A Watched River Never Boils

It's hot out... but it's not that hot. Steam is rising from the river, and we can even see bubbling in places, as if we've sailed into the middle of a shockberry stew. The Sibron has never been known to boil, but there have been rumors of deep fissures opening up around the countryside, venting superheated gas and lava from The Break. Maybe one of those fissures found its way to a riverbed.

It's tenuous enough as is on the raft, but several krelln are now gliding toward us. It's incredible they haven't cooked by now, but if they pull us in, we won't be so lucky.

General 008: Release the Krell-en

The Sibron is an inexhaustive gift to Daelorean novelists. With its myriad of different sizes and biomes, it's virtually guaranteed that there's somewhere on the river that can be adapted to house any water-based plot device you could think up, no matter how unlikely. Unfortunately, today we're on the receiving end of that literary adaptability, as our little boat has been surrounded by the constricting form of some massive sea monster!

This beast is currently fixing to splinter our transportation into toothpicks, with us being speared on the ends as hors d'oeuvres. On the bright side, the baddies who were attacking our raft are now as concerned about not becoming fish food as they are about stealing our ride, so maybe we can make something out of this fishy situation yet.

General 009: Jumping Jehosaphish

The more land-dwellers brave the Sibron, the better strategies krelln devise to feed on them. We've long suspected that many of the river's species possessed a spark of intelligence greater than that of the average fish, but this latest – Ow! What just hit me?

Where were we? Oh, that's right: A school's worth of krelln are currently attacking our raft by jumping across it, taking bites out of anything that passes through their trajectory. It will take time to portage around this section of the river, but it might be worth it to – Ow! OW!

General 010: Rock the Boat

SMASH.

A jolting strike against the bottom of the raft quickly rouses everyone from their afternoon slumber.

SMASH.

The tentacles wrenching on either side of the craft suggest we've wandered afoul of some waterborne ruler.

SMASH.

The raft's timbers are creaking under the strain. We've got to get out of here before –

SMASH.

General 011: Smile, You Son of a Fish

We're gonna need a bigger raft. We're being followed by a school of krelln with nigh impenetrable armor, and they're getting bolder in their underwater attacks. With every buffet of our boat, we're getting closer to being an aquatic buffet.

We could disembark, but this area is being patrolled by a group of mechs with a self-destruct sequence to keep them from being salvaged. Now that we're thinking about it, we did manage to remove a few core bombs from some of the mechs during our last run-in. They're stored on the edge of the raft, in a canister. Maybe if we could do something to set them off, it would hurt the krelln enough to finish the job.

General 012: Don't Go Chasin' Waterfalls

Two members of our party have been having a heated argument about which Sibron tributary to steer down. "I know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at all!" one of them snarls, at which point the other holds up a hand and pricks an ear. The telltale roar in the distance confirms our fears: A waterfall is up ahead!

Quickly, all hands begin working to prepare the raft for its upcoming journey – but to where? The more dangerous option will save us time, as long as we can salvage enough of our supplies after the drop (and fight off the enemies who come to scavenge our stuff). The safer option is, well, safer.

General 013: Friday Night Fish Fry

Krelln are never the tastiest of seafoods, but we're tired of complaining about nasty meals. If we're supposed to be survivalists, we should figure out the best method to make these critters taste somewhat edible.

Fortunately, what we lack in cooking experience, we make up for in the extra spices one of us brought along in a "wilderness pack." If enough of us can catch a decent specimen, we can hold an impromptu fish fry, testing which one of us has cobbled together the best recipe.

General 014: Strange Sibron Serum

One never seeks out Old Trevor. The crusty old Gearloc simply appears unbidden, ready to offer questionable assistance with some sort of strange caveat. At our latest port of call, he materializes from the woods, holding up a cracked beaker filled with a viscous green fluid. The words "Trevor's Secret Serum" can be read on the label's container, written in a childlike scrawl.

"It's guaranteed to make you stronger," he promises, proffering it to us free of charge. "Sure, it'll knock you out for a day or so, but when you wake up? Right as rain, and even better!"

General 015: Shuffleprene

In an ill-advised attempt to earn a bit of extra coin for gear upgrades, we've decided to advertise our raft as a discount riverboat cruise liner. Since room for amenities is tight, we've been focusing on maximizing available raft space with activities like scuba diving, Southern Daelore foot tours, and shuffleboard. In fact, we were just about to start our vessel's inaugural shuffleboard tournament when we were attacked by a school of hungry krelln (hmm... maybe scuba sessions weren't the best idea after all).

Unfortunately, we can't even deal with this infestation discreetly while our guests continue relaxing, as the krelln have flopped on deck, obscuring the pristine playing surface we'd just painted over the raft's logs. Before gameplay can continue, we'll need to help our fishy foes shuffle (ha!) off their mortal coils.

General 016: 40 Waves and 40 Knots

It's been raining for who knows how long, and the Sibron is threatening to flood the surrounding countryside. The rising water levels have started to displace native wildlife – in fact, here comes some of that wildlife right now!

Strangely, our encroaching foes all seem to be attacking two by two. They've been weakened by the flood waters, so we could probably fend them off, but there may yet be a more peaceful solution.

General 017: Watersports

It's a lazy day, and the Sibron's current is carrying the raft well enough without us needing to put in extra effort. The ride is going so smoothly, in fact, that one of our party suggests we could even get in a bit of recreation under the sun as we travel. They say that idle minds are Nobulous's workshop, but surely he has enough workshops around here already to bother with a few Gearlocs who just want to hit the waves.

General 018: Wave Goodbye

We're not really sure how this is possible on a river this size, but a massive tidal wave is currently bearing down on our heading. Whether manmade or the product of some lunar phenomenon, the approaching wall of water is about a mile off but fast approaching, and it appears to be carrying a flotilla of krelln that have been caught up in the current. We can probably ride it out, but doing so promises to be a bumpy (and thrilling!) ride. On the other hand, we can try to fight off the krelln and make landfall, but we're not exactly sure when the wave will crest...

General 019: Perfectly Normal

This goblin is proving unusually resistant. When we spied it on the other side of a thicket, we figured a well-thrown stone would knock it unconscious, allowing us to travel this way unimpeded. The rock sailed true, but it bounced off the goblin's head with a "clank" and no apparent ill effects. Wait a minute, goblin heads don't clank!

The "goblin's" eyes have now turned bright red, and its mouth is emitting a high pitched siren instead of the customary "ow!" that a normal goblin would make when struck with a big rock. As we hear the pitter patter of mechanical feet closing in all around, the truth of the matter finally dawns on us: It appears Nobulous is getting better at camoflaging his robotic creations.

General 020: Predictive Algorithm

We recently received a cryptic message from an anonymous Gearloc who reported that they have been tracking advancements in Nobulous's research. Apparently, the sinister scientist has been working on a new program that will allow his mechs to learn from our attacks and come up with situational responses, although how this differs from regular fighting is unclear to any Gearloc without a degree in advanced robotics from Obendar University (Nobulous is the dean there, so most of us are persona non grata, obviously).

A group of mechs is blocking the clearing ahead, so we'll soon put what we know to use. Hopefully our acquired intelligence is better than Nobulous's artificial intelligence.

General 021: Frontal Assault

Nobulous has always been an inventor, but he hasn't always been a bot builder. In fact, his mech manufacturing subsidiary, GEARBOT, was acquired from its founder Tink in a hostile takeover.

As a result, Nobulous's early mech designs were shoddy, often vain attempts at bolting his own ideas onto Tink's superior craftsmanship. Eventually, however, he adapted, and his current generation of bots is just as dangerous and efficient as the twisted organics he creates in his labs.

Nobulous is getting so bold with his mechs that he now often uses them to lead attacks on our adventuring parties, rather than ordering them to pick off stragglers from the side of the battlefield. This cadre of steel soldiers marching, crawling and hovering toward us perfectly illustrates his commitment to GEARBOT's future – and to making our future extremely abbreviated.

General 022: Resistance is Futile

Gruesome sights are common in the Halloway Forest, but this latest scene is a new one: a mech holding a chimp flat on the ground and inserting a pair of serpentine cables up the creature's nose. In a few moments, the ape stops struggling, and the mech stops restraining it; now on its feet, the chimp walks robotically, and we all jump when a metal power socket blossoms on its cheek.

Clearly, Nobulous is experimenting with technology that allows his mechs to assimilate biological life, melding machines with creatures already hostile to our journey through this area. We'd best intervene before these woods are full of the worst of both worlds.

General 023: Gyroscopic Gauntlet

Nobulous has hidden caches of supplies all around Southern Daelore, allowing him to easily restock his labs whenever his supplies are running low. To keep his treasures safe, however, he erects mech sentries near the caches' entrances, each bot programmed to rain fire down on unauthorized intruders.

Nobulous's stores are too tempting to stay away. Perhaps if we lured other combatants to this area first, the security system will attack them instead of us.

General 024: The Mech We're Looking For

This is a disaster. A mech has stolen the battle plan we created to tackle our upcoming tyrant. We thought there was something suspicious about that rock that was moving away from our campsite, but because we didn't detect any lifeforms in the area, no one tried to stop the stone until after it was already out of range.

Once we realized what happened, we started tailing the bot, hoping to catch up to it before it delivers its plans to Nobulous. Reinforcements have arrived to safely ferry the machine to its destination, but we've got to keep pressing forward. Everybody, stay on target!

General 025: Krelln to the Left of Me, Robots to the Right

This isn't fair! Usually, we take to the river when we want to be rid of mechs. Unfortunately, Nobulous's latest models must come with waterproofed circuitry, because we're in the middle of the Sibron and can see multiple robotic arms and tails swimming in this direction.

To make matters worse, the river is already teeming with krelln today, and it's all we can do to keep fending them off. We can take a moment to bash the mechs on the head with our oars before they can board the raft, but we'd have to stop bashing the krelln to do it, at least for a little while.

General 026: Dam It

A "clunk" sounds on the bottom of the raft, and we come to an abrupt stop. Looking over the side, we see a pile of partially submerged wood, arranged in some arcane pattern only its creator could interpret. Clearing a beaver dam is inconvenient, but we've certainly endured more trying circumstances on our voyage so far.

Or at least, that's what we think until one of us hears a subtle sawing sound below. The crew comes alive with shouts and curses when we realize that the beavers intend to use our craft as part of their infrastructure. To make matters worse, the commotion has attracted the attention of some hostile observers on the shore, and our immobility makes us an easy target for hop-ons.

Solo Encounter Cards (001–012)

Solo 001: Robots in Disguise as Other Robots

A series of different mech models stands in a line in front of an upcoming hill. A shy and buff Gearloc is inspecting them, humming tunelessly to a song only he has ever heard. My reconnaissance of this tableau reveals a shocking sight: At the Gearloc's command, the mechs all begin transforming, bending their metal joints into new shapes and turning into different models (also, one turned into a dinosaur for some reason).

Unfortunately, this unsettling turn of events is so surprising that I let out an involuntary gasp. The Gearloc turns toward me and orders the mechs to attack. This combat scenario is neither optimal nor prime.

Solo 002: Wrath on the Horizon

Things have gone from bad to worse. Already beset by enemies on all sides, I can now see the prow of an impossible pirate vessel practically flying down the Sibron toward my raft, its masts soaring into the clouds like spires.

I hear a voice from the deck above me. "There she is, men! Soon, we shall outflank our plunder!"

Anything further is drowned out by cannon fire. Perhaps I can maneuver this scenario to my advantage after all. Surely, my survival would result in great renown.

Solo 003: Poor Unfortunate Shoals

I knew I shouldn't have trusted that shapely talking octopus! The mysterious creature promised me a serum that could help me find my sealegs, but here I am, just as wobbly as ever, enemies and les poissons (that's troll for "the poissons") on every side, and something... strange is happening to me. I can't fight the same way I usually do.

The octopus told me the serum's effects would wear off in three days, but I have a strong immune system. If I can get out of this jam, I should be able to recover quickly, but if I can't, my only grave will be under the sea.

Solo 004: Long 'Loc Silver

My breath catches in my throat. As enemies board my raft, I see a vision I never thought I'd lay eyes on again. The grizzled buccaneer before me now seemed a bit more swashbuckling when I was a child, even with his peg leg and eyepatch, but that's the rosy filter of adventure for you.

The scurvy sea dog had sold me out back then, thinking he could get a greater share of the treasure we were seeking, but we were friends once. Maybe I should go easy on him, for old times' sake.

Come to think of it, who lets a little kid go on a treasure hunt with a bunch of strange men, anyway?

Solo 005: The Long Walk on the Beach

It was a tender rendezvous. It was a night to remember. A moment of chance meeting, a Gearloc with a disarming smile and sparkling eyes who seemed to understand me, like no one else I've ever met. We walked along the beach for hours, turning around when we ran out of sand and retracing our steps on the path of our old footprints (where there was only one set, that was where they carried me – I was sleepy).

We talked about everything, and nothing, and it was as if no time and all the time in the world had passed. Now, in the cold light of morning, I must decide what to do with my feelings. I feel drawn to stay with this person forever, but duty compels me onward.

Solo 006: Gill or be Gilled

Something about this clamshell speaks to me. I found it sparkling in the shallows of the Sibron this morning as I ate breakfast. Rather than crack it open and slurp out the clam meat then and there, I pocketed it, for reasons I'm still unsure of.

This afternoon, the current is at a lull, and I've taken the pearlescent shell out again to study it further. I feel overcome with a desire to commune with it in some way, but it's a good rule of thumb in Daelore to steer clear of things you want for reasons you can't understand. Still, it looks so inviting...

Solo 007: Mech 5 is Alive

They told me I wasn't here to make friends, but they didn't realize I'd literally be making a friend. I decided to patch up one of the wrecked mechs Nobulous has left littered throughout Daelore, but right as I was activating it, it was struck by lightning in a freak thunderstorm! Now it keeps on telling me it's alive and that it needs input, and it's begging me not to disassemble it.

I had no such plans, but even if I had, I'd never be able to follow through now. This thing is so adorable that you could write an epic poem about it, and probably an ill-advised sequel starring the first poem's breakout comic relief character. While I'm brainstorming my burgeoning franchise, however, I hear the telltale rustle of feet on underbrush. We're under attack!

Solo 008: Smoke Exhalation

The Sibron River is the strangest ecosystem in all of Daelore. Frozen one minute, boiling the next, shallow and deep in equal measure, menaced by frogmen and pirates and sea creatures and whatever enemy seems most inconvenient for a Gearloc at any given moment. I know all this, and still I must admit that I'm a little surprised this river is home to a giant, Gearloc-eating whale.

There's no time to lament my current state in this creature's digestive system, however. I heard a story once about another Gearloc (with a real wooden personality) who had this same thing happen, and he got out by building a fire inside his captor. Unfortunately, a few other occupants of this belly bungalow want to steal my setup for themselves.

Solo 009: As Seen on TMB

It's a quiet day, and I hate quiet days. As my raft floats down the river, I concoct a cross-training program of my own design, a way of building muscle, strengthening the skeleton, and improving core strength that caters specifically to the Gearloc physique (I call it "Boneflex"). I try out a few reps, and I feel the burn. There may be something to this!

Then again, I don't want to be one of those people who's always talking about their exercise regimen. Maybe the best workout is the old-fashioned one. I don't need to be the strongest Gearloc in Daelore; I just need to be stronger than the guy I'm punching.

Solo 010: It Takes a Child to Raze a Village

I've stumbled onto a village under attack by a group of mechs. They're moving erratically and destroying almost at random, as if programmed by a sadistic preschooler – or perhaps by Nobulous's incompetent son, Rob Grint. I watch one of the bots crash headlong into a tree, confirming my hunch: This is Rob's work, no doubt about it.

Suddenly, it hits me like a jolt of lighting: These structures look similar to the Gearloc architecture we left behind before our race moved to Obendar! If there are any of my kind still living this far south, I owe it to them to save their homes.

Solo 011: Super Sibron Shipping

Nobulous's latest dastardly venture is a drone-operated delivery service. In addition to running mom and pop Obendarians out of business, there's another reason his operation isn't earning five-star reviews: Nobulous's drone network is also using this new infrastructure to quickly ferry equipment and supplies between his horrific labs.

I've managed to lure a bunch of drones to one place by placing several orders to be delivered to this section of woods. Unfortunately, it seems Nobulous is wise to my gambit: Instead of the toilet paper I ordered, each drone is carrying a very unhappy Daelorean creature, and I bet they're dying to meet the person responsible for them being here.

Solo 012: Meching Order

Just when you think you have a battle in hand, an out-of-control mech barrels in and ruins everything. This whirlwind of steel is attacking everything in its path, creating plenty of chaos as it does so.

Even though this bot has clearly been sent after me, it doesn't have much compunction about what (or who) it destroys to get there. If I can throw enough baddies between me and it, I can get out of most of my dirty work. Then, all I need to do is... destroy this malfunctioning, fully-armed, killer robot.