The Emberclaw Brigade

Glistening Coast • Taaga • Blazing Garden
☆ Party
✎ Planning
♨ Tavern

Adventure Description

When a literal boatload of fiery little salamanders haul an outrageously large fish into a beachside bar and demand a feast, the party must aid the weary bartender in preparing the grand meal - while defending the catch from sworn enemies.

Starting the Adventure

"No trip in Taaga is complete without hitting up the legendary Glistening Coast, famed for shimmering waters, the best waves, and unusually large fish. In the wake of an exhausting contract, you decided to take a break and relax. Here you found open-air Shark Head Bar with the perfect vibes and view of the picturesque coast. Just as you get settled, however, dozens of small red amphibian-folk dressed in bargain bin wizard robes step off a boat. Held aloft on their tiny hands is the largest fish you've ever seen. When they demand a great feast, the solo bartender tiredly asks for your aid in preparations."

This is a silly, light-hearted adventure meant to showcase the party's diverse skill sets. Be transparent about the requirements of each Feast Task.

In addition, consider leveraging the Refuge in Slapstick rules which limits the Injuries that can be dealt to the Party.

Important Characters

Shark Head — Neridian, Male, 46 (Basic Folk)
Proprietor of Shark Head Bar, running its chill vibes for most of his life. Uses the fish trade system to trade with land-locked settlements farther in Taaga.
"His wide-set shark eyes may seem ill-suited for land work, but they're surprisingly effective for keeping tabs on every customer at once."
The Flamebearer — Emberclaw, Male, 75 (Emberclaw)
Commander of The Emberclaw Brigade. Proclaims grandiose statements about their conquest of the water that are actually quite mundane.
"The only way one could distinguish this Commander from the others is by the fact his little wizard hat and robe are of a slightly different color."
Mero Croaken the Wise — Ribbit, Male, 80 (Hopper Majo)
Archmage of The Great Ribbit Coven. Considers the Brigade to be buffoons that make fun of the serious discipline of wizardry. Insufferably regal and petty.
"Dressed in the finest garbs of an ostentatious wizard, this ribbit's uptight, serious demeanor is betrayed by the fact he is a cute frog in a wizard's hat."
Shark Head Bar

Suggested Story

Set the scene, describe Shark Head Bar, then continue:

A Day to Relax?
  • To begin, let the Party take the Fishing, Socialization, or Preparation Activity, describing how relaxing it all is.
  • Once settled, describe the procession of the Brigade carrying the fish to the bar and demanding a feast. The weary bartender Shark Head asks the party to help prepare it, offering coin.
Grand Preparation

Shark describes the three Tasks required to make the feast, handing over a Grapple Shot to aid with the first:

  • Gather: Spriki Nuts are the perfect seasoning. The problem is their rare trees are found in remote riverbeds. Guide/Insight Check to find them (Fatigue on failure) and Deftness Check with Major Bonus to harvest them (Falling Injury on failure).
  • Filet: The massive fish needs skinning and scoring. An Attack Roll of 15 is required. Failure still completes the job but deals a Light Injury to the character. Characters with the ability to Cook may elect to use that (and its Aptitude) instead, with an Edge.
  • Direct: The feast grounds must be set up! Emberclaws are plentiful but easily distracted. Negotiation required (any Aptitude vs. their Insight). Failure causes Fatigue.
Mood Dampeners
  • The great cooking fire is lit! During cooking, the Great Ribbit Coven [1 Hopper Majo + 6 Froggie Ninjas] strikes! Panicking Emberclaws make all Battlefield Areas Precarious for Medium+ Species and Isolated for Small Species.
  • The Hopper Majo uses Splash Zone every Turn it can on the roasting fire. 3 Applications ruin the fish! Ninjas use Defend or other crowd-control tactics to protect the Majo.
  • With the Coven defeated, the feast proceeds. The Brigade offers to teach the party's most festive member their ancient fire magicks aboard their ship.
Key Locations

Shark Head Bar

"Welcome to Shark Head's! I'm Shark Head. Simple rules here: bring a fish, get a drink on the house. Bigger fish, bigger drink."

Characters who opt Socialize at Shark Head Bar rather than fish gain the benefit of a Relaxing Recreational Attraction [Source, pg. 202]. So-called Sharktails (themed cocktails) act as Basic Potions.

The Feast Grounds

"The dedicated feast grounds are easily spotted for it is a large circle of charred sand, littered with scorch marks, amidst the otherwise pristine beach."

The grounds are near Shark Head Bar but purposefully tucked out of sight behind a bend. A variety of furniture and decorations are available here, though all are in varying states of being charred.

Ship of the Brigade

"Despite their goofy personality, their ship is a veritable war machine. Stocked with cutting crimson sails and a massive metal cannon, you'd be afraid were it anyone else at the helm."

The Emberclaw Brigade spends most of their time and coin on this ship. Its lower chambers are filled with glowing ritual teaching circles etched into the floor.

Secrets & Clues

  1. The Emberclaw Brigade is a nomadic tribe of fiery Salamanders that sail the seas, and have built a mostly respected lineage of powerful fire magicks.
  2. They've been eternally tasked by some entity - likely a whimsical Unshaped - to wage war against water itself. So, what better battlefield than the sea?
  3. The Brigade primarily sticks to the Shining Sea around Taaga (due to the prevalence of massive sea life) but, on occasion, make landfall to resupply or celebrate the heroic slaying of a notable sea creature.
  4. Eternal enemies of the Brigade, the Great Ribbit Coven has been bound to snuff fire itself.
  5. The conflict between the Coven and Brigade is said to be the result of a petty squabble between two Divine Rulers claiming domain of fire and water, respectively. Despite them being gone, this war wages on.
  6. There is a suspicion that both of these parties are actually immortal (or incredibly incompetent) as despite constant warfare, their ranks have not diminished.
  7. Shark is tired only because the Brigade does this with some frequency, causing the cook to quit the last time. He puts up with it because they pay well.
Emberclaw Inspiration

Quest Resolution

✦ Rewards

On a successful feast, the Emberclaws invite the party's biggest partier to receive a flame ritual gift. Shark lets the party keep the Grapple Shot and offers free drinks for the week alongside 100C for all the help.

☆ Ability Reward

The Emberclaws will impart their knowledge of the Emberclaws' Firebreath ability to the chosen party member.

Emberclaws' Firebreath
Having no written text on their mastery of Flame Mana, the Emberclaws are quite adept at teaching verbally. It's recommended not to use this in flammable spaces.
  • Once per Fight, you can breathe a gout of fire at a Target up to 1 Area away.
  • Requires a Contest: Your Grit vs. their Deftness.
    • Success: The shot does 2 Hearts of Flame Damage.
    • Failure: The shot fizzles, doing nothing.
  • Adds 1 Bright Allegiance Point.
Rank 1-2 Adventure
Lower Rank: Consider leveraging the Refuge in Slapstick rules to limit Injuries.
Higher Rank: Consider swapping (or adding) Naiads for Froggie Ninjas.
PC Starting Coin: 100C

Sources & Adversaries

Original adventure content for BREAK!!'s universe by Quagg.

Art Vibeboard

Shark Head Bar
"Shark Head Bar"
Art by べかさく
Emberclaw Inspiration
"Emberclaw Inspiration"
Art by Sammy Savos
The Emberclaw Brigade's Ship
"The Emberclaw Brigade's Ship"
Art by Jason Brubaker
Great Ribbit Coven Inspiration
"Great Ribbit Coven Inspiration"
Art by Rosalia Radosti
Taaga Inspiration
"Taaga Inspiration"
Art by Joseph Feinsilver
Waters of the Glistening Coast
"Waters of the Glistening Coast"
Art by Yishi Yao