paigesspot

[paigesspot]

Tears at the Table: A DMs Greatest Compliment

Some DMs live for engaging, long combat. Others live for awesome dungeon puzzles. Me? I live for the moment a player, or players, go quiet, wipes a tear, and hates me for a couple of minutes.

Last week, I got that moment. Most of the tears came from the players’ interactions with each other, but that moment wouldn’t have happened if my world, and the story within it, hadn’t put them there.

The…

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A Mouse Against the Storm - Mert's Final Mission

Some DMs live for crunchy boss fights. Others for the chaos of player shenanigans. Me? I live for this, when a player, eyes glassy, voice quiet says:

“I go alone.”

Last session, the party reached the Iron Spire, the twisted heart of Ebonveil, where Princess Cinderella is being held captive. They tried, they truly did, but after barely surviving the trap that awaited them beneath the city, the…

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Character Spotlight: Mert Puffletail, Devoted Mouse & Unlikely Hero

Let's talk about Mert.

Yes, that Mert. The Mouskin Cleric with a big heart, tiny robe, and more courage than sense (and I mean that as a compliment). The kind of hero who didn't choose greatness, he chose hope. And also chose a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. Mistake? Only time will tell.

In a world full of twisted fairy tales, fey trickery, and talking animals with suspicious pasts, Mert Puffletail has somehow emerged as the emotional core of the party, the one who believes in second, and sometimes 10th, chances, small kindnesses, and the idea that redemption doesn't always come with fanfare.

Just sometimes...with cheese...preferably LOTS of cheese.

From Mouse to Mouskin

Mert wasn't always a spell-slinging, light-wiedling, heals you when he can adventurer.

Once upon a time, quite literally, he was just a mouse. One of Cinderella's loyal little helpers, sweeping crumbs and dodging boots in a world far too big for him.

But then came Rumpelstiltskin. Trickster, dealmaker, manipulator of fate. Mert made a deal to become something more, to help those in need, to walk upright and speak, and most importantly, to protect the ones he loved.

It worked. He transformed. But like all Rumple-deals..."all magic comes with a price dearie." And that bill hasn't come due...yet.

His Light Comes From A Higher Place

Mert's divine magic doesn't come from his deal, it comes from Luviena, the goddess of life, light, and healing.

A glowing lantern surrounded by blooming flowers is her symbol, and she serves as a beacon in the world shadowed by fey magic and fractured fairy tales. Her followers protect the hopeless, heal the broken, and walk boldly into the darkest places to bring others back out.

Mert may have taken the shortcut to gain sentience, but he walks the long road of compassion, mercy, and light. He's a healer, a protector, and one of Luvenia's quiet champions, an answer, perhaps, to Rumpelstiltskin's rising influence.

Weapon of Choice: The Gentle Sting

Mert isn't a warrior. He's not trained for battle. But he carries a weapon all the same: a sleek, homebrewed rapier granted to him through divine exception (because honestly, the proficiency rules weren't working in his favor).

The blade isn't about showboating. It's about resolve. About standing his ground, even when his paws are trembling.

And when he raises it, you know something, or someone, is worth defending.

Mert, At a Glance

Race: Mousekin (formerly an actual mouse)

Class: Cleric

Divine Power Source: Luviena, Goddess of Healing and Hope

Weapon: Homebrewed Rapier (because he's not built for war, but he shows up anyways)

Personality: Earnest, empathetic, just a little bit tragic

Vibe: "I will absolutely forgive you, but i will NOT let you hurt people again."

Hope in a Twisted World

In a campaign filled with manipulative fey, imprisoned princesses, and fairy tales gone sideways, Mert is a thread of sincerity. He believes in saving people, not smiting them. He preaches second chances, even when it hurts.

He's the first to heal. The last to give up.

And possibly, the only one who still believes everyone else can be saved.

Final Thoughts

Mert Puffletail is far more than a "funny little guy" in a strange party. He's the emotional throughline, the moral compass, the soul of the group. He may have made a deal with a devil-in-disguise, but he follows a goddess of light, and that tug-of-war is what makes him fascinating.

If you ever need an NPC or PC that embodies small courage, stubborn hope, and quiet power... Mert is your blueprint.

Now if only he knew exactly what Rumplestiltskin really wanted in return.

Mert Reccomends

When divine magic isn't enough, Mert turns to the most powerful tool in his arsenal: cheese-themed dice.

Cheese Dice Set- Perfect for mouse clerics of compassion, snack enthusiasts, or anyone who wants to roll with flavor. https://amzn.to/4k9b4ap

Affiliate Disclosure:

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This comes at no extra cost to you, and helps support the blog and its cheese companions.

-Paige

Source: Character Spotlight: Mert Puffletail, Devoted Mouse & Unlikely Hero

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Campaign Recap: Fairy Tales With Teeth - The Story So Far

Welcome to Fairy Tales with Teeth, the chaotic, heartfelt, magic-twisted D&D campaign I've been running in my homebrew world of Varoth, where fairy tales aren't just real, they're fractured, and the fey have no chill.

If you're new to the blog, or just want to catch up on things before they get even wilder, here's everything that's happened before I started blogging, talking wolves, crime frogs, magical sewers, and all.

Meet the Party

Mert Puffletail- A mousekin cleric and former literal mouse (yes, from that Cinderella). Made a deal with Rumplestiltskin and now serves a goddess of light and healing. Kind. Soft. Somehow the moral compass and the emotional support mouse. You can read more about Mert here: https://paigespot.wordpress.com/2025/05/10/character-spotlight-mert-puffletail-devoted-mouse-unlikely-hero/

Son Duke- A bardic tortle with more daddy issues than hit points. Left home to follow the music in his soul, and still hasn't decided if he regrets it. He's got a song for everything, even the bad ideas.

Skoll- A rogue wolf with ties to Red Riding Hood and a perfectly broody energy. Fast, focused, and probably emotionally unavailable. Think "Big Bad Wolf" but with unresolved trauma and a dagger collection.

Cher- A purple with blue spots Tabaxi wizard with a Cheshire-cat-meets-chaotic-good vibe. If something explodes and no one knows why...it was probably Cher.

Will- (Deceased...again) A Shadow (Custom Race) fighter with ties to Peter Pan. He was literally Peter Pan's shadow before Peter took a dark turn. Will made a deal with Rumplestiltskin to detach from Peter, and Peter hunted Will down for it.

Together, they're not exactly heroes, but they're trying.

Act I: Glimmerbrook - Where It All Began

The party began in the fey-touched village of Glimmerbrook, where magic is banned one day a week and everything smells faintly of honey and secrets. Here, they met strange locals, discovered a hidden portal to the Feywild, and realized something was deeply wrong with the world.

The peaceful downtime quickly turned into unraveling clues, about fey bargains, missing memories, and the name that kept cropping up: Rumplestiltskin.

You can read more about Glimmerbrook here: https://paigespot.wordpress.com/2025/05/10/location-spotlight-glimmerbrook-a-hidden-village-at-the-edge-of-wonder/

The World of Varoth

Varoth is a land where fairy tales have cracked.

The veil between the Feywild and the Material Plane is dangerously thin. Classic stories exist here, but they've been stretched, broken, warped, and reimagined. Some figures (like Cinderella) are very real. Others have vanished, or are working behind the scenes. Some even "heroes" (like Peter Pan) in the original tales, are now villains.

And looming above it all is the big bad. I wish I could give more details about the looming threat of the big bad, but my players might read this, so I can't. You'll just have to learn with them.

Rumplestiltskin, the Deal Maker

One name keeps coming up: Rumplestiltskin.

He's clever. He's dangerous. Operating across storylines. And he's already made a deal with at least one party member (Mert). Whether he's an ally, antagonist, or something stranger...remains unclear.

Act II: Peter Pan and Will - Things Get Complicated

The party left Glimmerbrook behind and entered into more dangerous lands, and that's where they learned about Peter Pan.

But this wasn't Peter from the bedtime stories.

This Peter was manipulative and terrifying. He was not one to mess with. Will was once Peter Pan's shadow, not a living being, but somehow still sentient. After Peter Pan took a dark turn, Will detached from him, and made it his goal to eventually show Peter Pan the light side again...but Peter had other plans.

After a tense journey into Neverland, the party tried to stop Peter Pan. Will was tragically killed, by his own hand. To escape Neverland, Skoll had to sacrifice a piece of himself, and now lives with only one ear.

But Will's story didn't end there...

Act III: Will Returns

The party emerged from the portal into Ebonveil, a capital city, and Mert's hometown.

After watching Will die and ending up somewhere they've never been (except Mert, he's from here), the party is greeted with wanted posters posted EVERYWHERE. They all have Mert's face on them. The prince (who captured Cinderella to keep his power) must be behind this. The party conceals Mert, and decides to hold up in a bar. But who's that...it can't be. It's Will!

That's right Will has returned...but something's different. His smile is now creepy, his voice now deeper. Will returned with an unwilling, different motive. To get Peter Pan information about the party, and potentially lead the party to their demise. Will gives a note to some random people, telling them the location of the infamously wanted Mert Puffletail.

Now the party is on high alert, and for some reason (I'm still not sure what they were thinking here) they stuff Mert down a sewer...Yep.

Now the other three gang members must find an entrance into the sewer to go find their beloved friend.

Act IV: Ebonveil Sewers

Beneath the cobblestone streets and suffocating regime, they eventually found Mert and learned about the Night Market, a place full of people who could potentially smuggle the party out of Ebonveil. After some exploring of these expansive sewers, the party stumbled into a fight they could not mentally win. Will betrays the party and threatens to kill Mert. After some deliberation, the party decides Will must die. Upon slaying Will, his dead body now transforms into a Wraith.

The party could not defeat the wraith. They were defeated. By the power of Luviena, the party was able to receive a second chance. They were brought back to life, found in the ruins of an old temple to Luviena. There they met Cher, their resident Tabaxi wizard, who doesn't seem all there.

Upon recovering, they learned that Cinderella is trapped in a place called the Iron Spire. It has an entrance in the Ebonveil Sewers, and now the party must try to save her. So the party returns. After getting lost for the 50th time, the party is able to locate the Iron Spire. They realize they are too weak for it, and Mert gets some inspiration. They go to the Night Market, and Mert gives a beautiful speech to all those there, in hopes to rally a party to assist in taking over the Iron Spire.

Act V: The Iron Spire

The party's current mission is the boldest yet: infiltrate the Iron Spire, the regime's most fortified structure, and rescue Cinderella before it's too late. But they weren't alone. Because of Mert's inspiring speech the party was joined by three others: A tiefling fighter, a gnome druid, and a human ranger. Together the party was able to locate Cinderella all the way at the bottom of the Spire, protected by a Warden of the Spire. She was in a stasis, unable to do anything. The party fought hard, and upon victory of slaying the Warden, the tiefling fighter who once was an ally, touched Cinderella, and the two of them disappeared.

Where We Are Now

Cinderella is missing. Again.

The party is being hunted. Again.

Mert, emotionally bound to Cinderella, chooses to go after her alone, believing it's his destiny and his duty.

And in a rare, tear-jerking moment, the others, Cher, Skoll, and Son Duke, say goodbye. They can't follow him. Not yet.

Mert walks away, toward something unknowable.

Will he survive?

Time will tell.

Stay Tuned

This is just the beginning. Or the middle. Or the part right before the real chaos begins.

Subscribe, stick around, and join us as the stories of Varoth unravel, one twisted fairy tale at a time.

-Paige

Source: Campaign Recap: Fairy Tales With Teeth - The Story So Far

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Welcome to Paige's Spot: A Blog About D&D, Storytelling, and the Chaos of the Table

Hello fellow adventurer's and welcome! I'm Paige, DM, worldbuilder and passionate creator of magical mayhem. This blog is a space for me to share the Dungeons and Dragons content I create, both for my personal campaign, and for other DMs to use, adapt, or just enjoy reading.

If you're into imaginative settings, quirky NPCs, story-driven adventures, or campaigns where fairy tale logic meets dungeon crawl danger...you're in good company.

What This Blog Is All About

This blog has a few main goals:

To Chronicle my ongoing D&D campaign- a fairy-tale inspired world full of fey magic, twisted legends, or morally questionably PCs.

To share homebrew content- like towns, magic items, one-shots, plot hooks, and NPCs that you can bring to your own table.

To spotlight my favorite D&D supplements- including my favorite books, resources, card decks, monsters, and more.

The Campaign: Fairy Tales With Teeth

Right now, I'm running a campaign set in a homebrew world called Varoth a realm where the veil between planes is thin, the fey have way too much free time, and fairy tale figures are very real...and very altered.

It's a world where Cinderella is a political prisoner, the big bad is pulling strings behind the scenes, and a band of unlikely heroes, who all happen to be animals, are trying to untangle the mess.

Meet the party:

Mert- A former mouse turned Mousekin Cleric with a tiny robe and a gigantic heart

Son Duke- A bardic tortle whos family does NOT approve of his musical aspirations.

Skoll- A broody wolf rogue with a lot of charm, and a whole lot more bite.

Cher- A purple and blue tabaxi wizard with flair, power, and a Cheshire-cat energy, but a whole lot goofier.

They've recently rallied support from the rebellious Night Market hidden beneath the city of Ebonveil, and just infiltrated the Iron Spire, the most secure place in the kingdom, in a daring attempt to rescue Cinderella.

It's dramatic. It's heartfelt. It's goofy. It's chaotic.

And I love every bit of it.

Here on my blog, I'll be sharing session recaps, behind-the-scenes peeks, custom content inspired by my campaign, and the occasional rant about player curveballs. The real challenge? Not revealing too much in case my players are lurking.

Resources for Other DMs

While this blog is part journal, it's also a toolbox. I'll be posting:

Homebrew towns, NPCs, and encounters

Fairy tale themed magic items and cursed objects

Drop-in story hooks for DMs short on time

Tips for running narrative-heavy or fey-influenced campaigns

And maybe a few "what went wrong (and right)" DM reflections

I want this to be a place where other DMs or players can find inspiration, tools, and the occasional laugh, whether they're planning a new campaign or just procrastinating between sessions.

What's Coming Next

A showcase of some fairy tale flavored towns with a few secrets under the surface

A behind the scenes look at my massive sewer system that I set up for my players and how I did it.

Some NPCs that I grew attached to, and hopefully you will too.

And eventually, a full arc summary of the Cinderella rescue mission

Thanks for Visiting

Whether you're here for tools, the story, or just curious about what kind of person turns a frog into a reluctant crime lord, thanks for reading. Feel free to stick around, drop a comment, and share your own table tales. I'm glad you're here.

- Paige

Source: Welcome to Paige's Spot: A Blog About D&D, Storytelling, and the Chaos of the Table

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"The world forgets wolves like me."

The orange in glow in his eyes it's magic. It's a warning, you're still being watched.

Meet Skoll, a wolf rogue with a blade in his belt, a shadow on his heart, and no gods watching over him. In a campaign of fairy tale chaos and fey mischief, he's what's left after the story ends. When the forest goes quiet, the cottage burns, and no one makes it home.

From Lone Fang to Party Member

Skoll doesn't follow fate. He follows his instincts and his own code.

"You protect who you choose. And you destroy what needs destroying."

He doesn't believe in prophecies or chosen ones. But he does believe in loyalty. Especially to the strange little family he's found in his party:

A cleric who was once a mouse

A bardic tortle with stage fright

A wizard who might be unhinged.

Also...he manages the tortle's music career now. (Don't ask.)

Skolls Struggles

In a world of sparkling enchantments and storybook destiny, Skoll is the snarl in the dark. He doesn't know what he is anymore, the last wolf? A living weapon? A mistake?

When Mert left the party behind...Skoll didn't stop him. And it broke him more than he'll admit.

Skoll's Magic Crossbow

This +1 crossbow doubles as a grappling hook, supporting up to 1,000 pounds. It's from Vault of Magic by Kobold Press, an incredible resource full of flavorful magic items (including "Fabled Items" that grow with the player)

Check it out here: https://amzn.to/4jOsdXe Read More on the Blog

Full character spotlight, lore, and more campaign content:

Character Spotlight: Sköll, The Last Wolf

Affiliate Disclosure:

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support the blog and its toothy companions.