Fatemaster Friday - Away to the Dismal Swamp he speeds—

[Kimberly]

Heya Breachers!

This week our Malifaux Grand Tour takes us into the Bayou, a sordid and dangerous place. Before we start though, let’s see what @War Disciple has to say about the true nature of the Soulstone Geode:

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The Soulstone Geode is a trap, of course - what else could it be? 😉 Using its soul-trapping power to keep some unknown horror at bay, one the Tyrants themselves might fear... All waiting with aeons-old anticipation at being freed by one ill-advised axe-pick swing.

Now, get on your waders, because we’re about to be hip deep in the murky, gator filled waters of the Bayou!

The last bastion of civilization before the depths of the Bayou is a lackadaisical town called Edge Point. It’s surprisingly peaceful town that boasts a low crime rate and Edge Point Station, where trains head out to settlements in the Badlands with much needed supplies. A Fatemaster may use this location as a starting point for the Fated who need passage to one of the Contract Towns, or perhaps they have been hired to protect the cargo against any attacks. While the town itself is calm, your Fated may not want to stick around- the smell that blows in from the Bayou to the East isn’t one many are accustomed to and the threats of disease carrying swamp insects may leave Fated unwilling to spend too much time in Edge Point.

The Bayou itself is largely controlled by various Gremlin clans who feud amongst themselves and come together for Bayou Bashes when the mood strikes. There are no strict borders for family territories, which means humans who delve into the Bayou can find themselves in hot water with multiple Gremlin clans who claim an area as “their land.” Perhaps your Fated can fast talk two families into a feud in order to make their get-away?

The Bayou is home to some ancient structures that are filled with a variety of magic and danger. When the Red Cage was brought down by the Tyrant Plague in 1902, it fundamentally changed Malifaux. More than being the root cause of The Event, it left a massive crater in the edge of the Bayou that is estimated to be over 300 feet deep. Strange abominations, made of dead flesh and metal, climb out of the deep hole. Somewhat recently odd creatures called Grootslangs have emerged and have begun carving out a niche for themselves in the Bayou. Perhaps the Fated want to enter the depths of the Red Cage in search of knowledge or hidden power. As Fatemaster you can give them a mighty big challenge with potentially huge rewards.

Kytheria is a place of power for the Grave Spirit, built by ancient denizens of Malifaux with the misplaced idea of harnessing the power of the Grave Spirit. Though the site was destroyed in 1901, the call of the Grave Spirit is still heard by some Resurrectionists who brave the Bayou’s dangers in search of power. Most notable of those who travelled is the killer Seamus, drawn the Kytheria’s power through the urging of the Grave Spirit. Fated who hear the Grave Spirit may feel called to Kytheria as they progress along their Pursuit. Or perhaps the Fated are hired to find a missing person who is following the directions whispered in dreams that lead to the deathly ruins.

These places, along with the Sunken City and maybe a chance encounter with Zoraida, add to the mystery and danger of the Bayou. There is so much to explore in the swamps of Malifaux, and loads of danger and rewards for Fated brave enough to travel Into the Bayou. Aside from the expansion book linked, more adventures in the Bayou can be found in Bubbling Up from Below, The Hand that Feeds, The Bayou Games, and in Wyrd Chronicles Issue #23 with the adventure “Dawn in the Bayou.”

This week, I want to know: what is the most frightening part of the Bayou to you, and why?

[War Disciple]

The most frightening part of the Bayou? Everything can kill you.

Forget the Red Cage. Forget Kythera and the Sunken City.

That swarm of biting midges you just walked through? Infection. If left untreated, you're 3 to 7 days away from organ failure.

That weird eyeless lizard just over there in the tree? Poison, just by breathing on you. Neurotoxin, if it gives you a lick. You die slowly, paralyzed. 

Snakes? Poison. Silurids? Poison. Skeeters? Infection.

And don't even think about drinking the water.

So yeah, I'll happily picnic at the bottom of the Red Cage crater, or take a languid nap in the heart of Kythera, just so long as I don't have to venture out into the swamp beyond...

[Strype McClaine]

18 hours ago, War Disciple said:

The most frightening part of the Bayou? Everything can kill you.

Forget the Red Cage. Forget Kythera and the Sunken City.

That swarm of biting midges you just walked through? Infection. If left untreated, you're 3 to 7 days away from organ failure.

That weird eyeless lizard just over there in the tree? Poison, just by breathing on you. Neurotoxin, if it gives you a lick. You die slowly, paralyzed.

Snakes? Poison. Silurids? Poison. Skeeters? Infection.

And don't even think about drinking the water.

So yeah, I'll happily picnic at the bottom of the Red Cage crater, or take a languid nap in the heart of Kythera, just so long as I don't have to venture out into the swamp beyond...

Its like Austrila.
But wet

[stump_chunkman]

Whaaaat? There's nothing frightenin about the Bayou. It's just dangerous because folk don't know there way around it. Why, there's lots of fine folk that call it home. Just pay your guide handsomely, step where they step, and pray you don't run into one of Great Gator's disciples because you were fated for Doom anyway at that point and nothing you do will change it. 

[Douglas Scoundrels]

The most frightening part of the bayou is what lies underneath. Specifically, the locations of the Red Cage and Sunken City. While the native fauna (and often flora) is out to kill you, some nice folks from the Explorers' Society have already written (and revised) a guide to navigate the treacherous waters of the Bayou. No, anyone will tell you that the scariest thing is the unknown, and we know next to nothing of the Malifaux that was. The glimpses we've seen of it, whether its the nightmares of the Necropolis or the Geiger-esque horrors spilling from the Red Cage, hint at some ancient and maddening that the humans of Malifaux are not at all equipped to deal with. The Sunken City is the most promising because it's untapped. We have no idea what's lurking beneath the ruins and Silurid nests, but if it's anything like it's sister city Malifaux and even Earthside could be in danger.