Ninjatic on DeviantArthttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/https://www.deviantart.com/ninjatic/art/Ambush-431424883Ninjatic

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Ambush

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He'll be fine… right?

Random concept as always aksjdhskajh

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2000x1000px 1.3 MB
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This is PERFECT for an ambush scenario in the Barovian mountains. I've made it in to a Theater of the Mind scenario for a VTT platform. I used it by plucking the wolves and warrior and huge snowflakes out of the image. Then we use the VTT platform to add animated snow over the scenery. Then we describe to the players the cold pristine mountain pass. Next we show them.. well, here's the text I jotted down for the scenario (five images total in the set):


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The party is traveling through a mountain draw. It's been trying to snow for a while, but not much of it makes it down in to the draw, thankfully. It's cold as a witch's.. nose out, but at least the draw keeps the wind down to a light breeze. The mountain scenery would be flat gorgeous, but the tingling sensation in your half-frozen toes has you in too foul of a mood to enjoy it. Someone stops the party and whispers that they thought they heard something. While the party is listening intently, you see, not hear.. a lone wolf walk out on to a point, tilt it's head to the sky, and call out "Ah-roo-oooo!"


You think to yourself "Ok, that.. is a stunning sight".


Next you detect movement in a pass in the draw just ahead. Three gorgeous white and silver colored wolves walk out in to the middle of the draw and stand there. It's obvious that the three are siblings, they look like triplets wearing three different versions of the same coat.


Next four more wolves approach from up and down the draw, then four more start descending the slopes in front of you.


Someone in the party calls out "They're behind us!"


You thought you were cold before, but your blood suddenly runs cold anyway, sending a chill down your spine. The hair stands up on the back of your neck and one word pops in to your head as someone else in the party calls out "Ambush!!"


Roll for initiative!! :D(Obviously any sneak attacks or anything are going to be at a disadvantage.)


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This set is designed for a Theater of the Mind (TotM) scenario for a Tabletop RPG or VTT platform.


It simulates an ambush in the middle of nowhere, by a wolf pack. The ambush is scalable, as the DM can keep adding rounds of wolves showing up, or stop adding rounds of wolves when appropriate. It's also scalable because the wolves could represent Juvenile Wolves, Adult Wolves, Dire Wolves.. or if you really want to murder your party, a pack of Loup Garrou.


(Honestly, an entire pack of Loup Garrou is nuts. Perhaps have the party (roll perception to) notice that the pack is stalling for a minute, pacing, growling.. waiting for a solitary (or pair of) massive Loup Garrou to show up and pick a fight with the party.)


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The original used for this set was by ninjatic, a seriously talented artist that could easily find a niche selling Theater of the Mind artwork for Tabletop RPG's and VTT's. You can find the original here:

https://www.deviantart.com/ninjatic/art/Ambush-431424883


He also has a couple of other winter mountain images that you could use "as is" to represent the slopes of Mount Baratok, or..? So be sure to check out his gallery as well. :)


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I intend to give the images away for free, I hope you don't mind. This artwork style is a nearly precise match for another RPG artist, JamesRPGart who already does Theater of the Mind artwork for Curse of Strahd.. so this is basically perfect for adding to campaigns in Barovia. As you can imagine, it's near impossible to match, so I was tickled pink when I found this. I actually kit-bashed this a long time ago, but it occurred to me that other people are probably out there looking for the same stuff I have been digging for, so it might be nice to share it with others. I DO hope you take this as a compliment, but that is absolutely the way that it is intended! :)