project-image

This Blighted Isle: Darkened Hill & Dale

Created by Sarah

Darkened Hill & Dale contains seven horror scenarios for tabletop roleplaying games, set in the modern British countryside. Tonally, they're a mix of cosmic and folk horror, with unique situations and threats to negotiate. The settings encompass market towns, garden centres, sleepy villages, moorlands, and beyond. These scenarios are intended to run in 1–3 sessions and be useable with a variety of systems, so each scenario includes notes for player characters who are occult-aware and those who are not. The scenarios are accompanied by a separate collection of hand-out ephemera, with 2–3 items per scenario including maps, news articles, folklore book 'photocopies', etc. Visit https://www.patchworkfez.games/ for more information!

Latest Updates from Our Project:

All Stretch Goals Achieved! + Scenario Reveal: Moonlit Shadow!
8 months ago – Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 03:58:47 AM

Hello Friends,

I'm delighted to announce that you've now unlocked all of the stretch goals! You'll be getting plenty of art, more ephemera, handouts for players, and a seventh scenario! 

I'm so pleased to see so much support for Darkened Hill & Dale, and quite touched by your enthusiasm! Thank you all, both for backing and for sharing the campaign so widely. I can't wait to see this as a finished item in your hands and hear about the games you run with it. That's a little way off, it's true, but I'll try not to keep you waiting too long.

In the meantime an without further ado, here's scenario six of seven...

A rough painting of the moon in a dark, cloudy sky.

Moonlit Shadow

Old Annie Haddow
Captured a Shadow,
Up on the moor
In a silvery night.

A summer wildfire has uncovered ancient rock carvings up on the moor, purported 'big cat' sightings abound once again, and the police are looking for witnesses following the death of a local metal detectorist in a suspected dog attack. Investigations reveal tales of witchcraft and greed, and that there may be some truth to local folklore after all.

A atmospheric painting of moorland, trees, and dark, cloudy sky. To the left, a figure flees the scene on horseback.

I'll reveal the final scenario—the one you've unlocked—in the next few days, and you can expect to see some of the ephemera for players before the campaign ends. Until then, perhaps you'd best avoid the moors on clear nights.

Sarah

SEVEN Scenarios + Scenario Five Revealed
8 months ago – Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 11:36:20 AM

Hello Friends,

Well, you've so thoroughly torn through the stretch goals that Darkened Hill & Dale will now contain not six but a full seven scenarios! 

What is that seventh scenario? You'll find out in good time, but rest assured that your requests for more folk horror have been heard.

Speaking of which, it's time to reveal the fifth scenario of the set, which I think you'll find quite folky as well:

A painting depicting cattle lying down and grazing while, further down the hiil, figures can be seen against a backdrop of a lake and hills.

Fatstock

It’s winter in Mawbury. The reservoir has frozen over, the hunt has gathered, and it’s time for the annual Fatstock Show & Dinner.

This agricultural market town continues to thrive against the odds, and farmers from all around bring their finest cattle to compete in the annual Fatstock show. After the show, the town’s movers and shakers gather in the enclosed market hall to celebrate and consume the best of the local produce. That the dinner is oddly secretive is probably nothing to worry about, and the reports of the hunt riding out at night while torch-light processions cross the reservoir are surely nonsense.

A dark painting of men of horseback and hounds chasing something unseen down a hill.

When I showed my partner the draft of this scenario he said, "The 'Fatstock' event that you've made up for this scenario is very creepy." 

Dear readers, I have not invented this event. Every December my sister or I chauffeur our lovely father, attired in his black tie formalwear, to the dark cattle market where the Fatstock Dinner is held. We have no idea what this event is beyond, vaguely, a 'dinner'. It's for farmers, but Dad's never been a farmer. We never see tickets for sale. The interior of the venue is completely concealed from the car park via a special covered walkway they roll out for the occasion. They always seem to have a lot of 'lost property' afterwards. It is, to be honest, a bit odd.

Anyway, I'm sure it's fine, and that this version of the event is totally fictionalised.

Keep an eye for further updates and scenario reveals next week, and thanks again for your support! 

Sarah

Stretch Goals + Scenario Four Reveal!
8 months ago – Mon, Feb 12, 2024 at 08:09:05 AM

Hi Folks,

Thanks again for all your support—you've ploughed straight through the first two stretch goals in the first couple of days! That means that Darkened Hill & Dale will include atmospheric title page artwork and a variety of new ephemera (including some handout elements for players).

I'm speaking to artists about those title pages, and will share some of the artwork as soon as it's ready. I have a whole list of ideas for the ephemera; describing some of it would be an immediate spoiler, but I will let you know that I've been complimented on my facsimiles of historic documents in the past and am hoping to use those skills again. 

Two figures stand in a wide river in a green valley, fishing.

I promised to reveal the remaining three scenarios as the campaign progresses so, without further ado, scenario 4 of 6 is...

It Takes A Village

Russington has won the county 'Best Kept Village' award for five years in a row. They’re likely to win again this year, given that a vicious fire has just destroyed half of Upper Dalby.

The village of Russington is in full bloom, the local W.I. is enjoying a membership surge, and, just the other day, two young girls were heroically saved from drowning in the river... weren't they? Investigations reveal that things aren't quite as they seem in this quaint village.

A house burns in the night, surrounded by gnarled trees. Two figures stand near the flames, seemingly unconcerned.

The next stretch goal looks like it may be on the horizon already, which will mean an extra scenario! That means that Darkened Hill & Dale may contain a full seven scenarios!

I have a couple of options for the additional scenario and would like your help in deciding which one to go with, so here's the question—do folks prefer cosmic horror, folk horror, a mix of the two, or something else? Let me know in the comments!

- Sarah