Free Quickstart adventure · Tier 1 · 3–5 players and a GM

Blood and Vintage

The Murder at Thistledown Estate

A harvest celebration, an engagement toast, and a house full of people with reasons. Your first session of Wound Bound, ready to run.

Download the Quickstart (PDF) Learn the rules first

Read aloud
Weeks ago, a close family relationship between one of your party and the Thistledowns brought an invitation to the annual Vintner's Toast: the celebration that opens the harvest, and this year doubles as the formal announcement of Corvin Thistledown's engagement to Selene Vantree.

Then, yesterday evening, a rider arrived in Tunas with a hurried note from Lord Bastian Thistledown. Since you were coming anyway, would you be so kind as to bring a wagon up from the family's warehouse in the city? He apologises for the short notice.

A pencil plan style drawing of a country estate. From top down it depicts the layout of the building with foyer, lounge room, dining hall, kitchen, several bedrooms, a study and detached guest house. — Thistledown Estate, a few hours up the coast road from Tunas.

The adventure

Four acts, from the road to the cellar

Acts One and Two teach the game a step at a time. From Act Three the mystery opens up into a free investigation, and tables new to roleplaying can follow a guided path through the same story instead.

Act one

The Road to Thistledown

A river ford that's harder with a loaded wagon than without, a wagon that breaks down on the far bank, and then rain, darkness and bandits on the road. Your first Skill Challenge and your first fight.

Act two

The Vintner's Toast

You arrive late, soaked and bloodied, to a butler's open disapproval and a party full of interesting guests. Then the house goes to bed, and not everyone sleeps.

Act three

A Murder Most Foul

A breakfast appointment, a body, and a constable called up from Pressford. Witnesses, evidence and a trail that runs through the estate's own books.

Act four

The Vintner's Pact

Something old lies beneath the cellar floor, bound by a bargain nobody should have disturbed. How hard will you fight, and for whom?

Ready-made characters

Pick one and play

Five pregenerated characters, each with a full sheet and a line on how they play at the table, so players can choose by role as well as by story.

A cartoon style drawing of a fantasy woodsman or archer. He holds a sword in one hand and a bow in the other with a quiver slung over his back. Dressed in earth toned clothing and leather boots he looks ready to survive the wilds.

Drovan Thale

Nimble · Ranger

A hunter and caravan guard who knows every road in the region. A mobile archer who acts before the enemy does.

A cartoon style drawing of a dark-skinned spell caster. Thick curly black hair surrounds her face, and she carries a staff affixed with a bright orange orb set in a cradle shaped to resemble flame. She wears a dark cape over blue robes trimmed with gold.

Mirella Vask

Spiritual · Warden

A Warden of Eolis who ministers to the villages. The party's healer: she smites, blesses, and closes wounds with her own blood.

A cartoon style drawing of a scarred warrior holding a notched battle axe. Plate armour adorns his bulky frame, and a thick beard covers his chin while his long dark hair is tied in a topknot.

Joren Blacke

Martial · Templar

Home from a mercenary company in the North. A front-line protector who hits hard and takes the blows meant for his friends.

A cartoon style drawing of an older male scholar. With greying hair and a goatee, he is dressed all in black with a white shirt and cravat. He carries a thick leather tome and scrolls with a leather satchel slung over his shoulder.

Elthric Dane

Cerebral · Blood Mage

A second son who chose study over the family business. Damage and control from range, and he can bleed to heal.

A cartoon style drawing of a female warrior in dark leathers. Her auburn hair is cut short, and she stands with a hand on the hilt of a long-bladed dagger.

Salla Rinehart

Nimble · Duelist

A top student of the city's fencing school, with noble contacts to show for it. A fast melee skirmisher who strikes straight past armour.

In the Quickstart

Everything for your first session

The full adventure, with read-aloud text and GM guidance for every scene
A plain-language primer on the rules, written for players
Five character packets, ready to hand out
Maps of the coast road and the estate
Who's Who cards for the household and guests
A guided path through the mystery for first-time tables

You'll need

Bring to the table

Two twelve-sided dice per player, ideally
A d4, d6 and d8 for weapon damage
A pencil for each player
The printed character packets and Who's Who cards
One person willing to run it, who has read it through first

Get it, and hear what comes next

Download the Quickstart free. Join the list and we'll let you know when the adventure is updated and when the Kickstarter for the full book goes live.

Download the Quickstart (PDF)