5LB Gunnar’s Diary
Turn 1 - It all began at Sandy Wharf
As well as my two companions that came with me from the North (Ivar and Erik), we have a Mystic (Dorothea), a Feral (Miyako), and a Preen (Spreet) and I feel I have found the right companions for this quest so today we travelled south into Nalar. First stop was the farming community near Sandy Wharf which we reached uneventfully but immediately started to hear about something strange the farmers have seen in the woods between the farms and the coast.There is nobody here we can recruit and it has cost us 2 Gold to stay at the only Inn, so before we move on Dorothea foraged for herbs and found two doses of Ironshield Root, while some of the team helped out around the local farms, earning back 1 Gold. We then set out to investigate the rumours we were hearing.
Turn 2 - Our first encounter with the Ice-Heart Court
The Ice-Heart Court is basically Elves, but I wanted to use my Narnian army so I think of it more like a mix of Fey beings, starting with Fauns. This was my first game, so the terrain a bit basic, but hey, it was all new (there’s a page taking about how this stuff was made if you are interested).
Our first battle took place as we stumbled upon a Forest Folk Camp Raid. Moving slowly we eventually spied the enemy, strange creatures half human and half beast had made camp. I signaled the warband to get into good positions and we were nearly upon the enemy before they spotted us and the alarm was raised.
Spreet was primed and ready and immediately took out the one that seemed likely to be their leader. The enemy, cleared surprised, failed to hit with their bows and the rest move to attack, but the we got stuck in, killing two more which was enough to make another one flee. Next round Preet wings another, Miyako wings the one in the woods and Erik kills him, and Ivar loots the camp (finding a couple of torches). Next round Preet finishes off the one he wounded, I kill another, the last one tries to fight me but realising he is now alone, he runs off and the battle is over!So I did all the end of turn campaign rolls and then the setup and into the next game turn, which although using a different enemy list this time from the Roadside Encounters, let me field the Fauns again but with a Minotaur as their leader.
Erik was the first to get to grips with the enemy but came off badly and would have likely been killed if not for Dorothea’s Heal spell. Preet got a good shot at the advancing minotaur and Ivar followed up and killed the beast, while I wounded two fauns
Next step, we need more gold for better weapons, so we take a job for the local monastery. A young priest had been bringing a holy relic to the Monastery and has vanished without a trace, we have been hired to find him and retrieve the relic. Part of our journey was spent in the company of a mirthful traveller, I now call friend, but we parted as we entered the forest. We soon noticed it was eerily quiet, and the we spied the cart, sitting on a hill, looking for all the world like a trap! Sending Ivar to scout further along the path, we headed for the cart, for what else could we do?
Miyako was the first to reach the cart and seeing three shambling forms coming up towards her, let fly, and the first enemy dropped to the ground. The enemy kept coming, three more burst through the trees on our left, another three on the right. Shambling monstrosities, no longer men. Preet shot and wounded one while I fought my way past the cart to kill one, but they showed no sign of faltering.
Next I faced off against one in monk’s robes, was this the novice we had come to find? Sadly I had no choice and plunged my sword into its chest. Miyago fired and then found herself out of ammo, but a quick spell by Dorothea and she was re-supplied. Leonidas and Erik had bided their time and now attacked, Leonidas killed his and then the other, but not before Erik took a wound. Miyako shot the last one and the battle was over so I could look over the contents of the cart.
Relics they said! This is treasure and worth much more that the five gold we were promised! But we escorted it back to town untouched, I’d rather have the monks on my side, and we had grave tidings to bear. I was right, on learning what we had seen, the monks gave us a Quest…
The monks admitted that sending us to retrieve their treasure had been a test, and I guess we passed, for they asked us to now retrieve the real relic, taken by a gang of pillagers, deserters from the Baron’s forces that have been fighting the Fey. They were headed south and would need to be caught before they got deep into the Dakor Mountains.
We made our way carefully through the rocky terrain, unable to see much in any direction, until three of the pillagers appeared around a corner in front of us and the battle was on. Miyako fired off a shot, taking down the man armed with a sling and we dispatched the other two in short order but the commotion drew others into the fray.
Things were going well until Ivar pushed his luck too far and charged ahead of the rest of us and was taken down. Miyako got a shot off, stopping that guy in his tracks, but Spreet was now angry and abandoning his bow charged at the foe blocking anyone else. Thankfully Spreet took down his target, but then round the next corner came a figure that made even me pause, a viscious looking warrior wrapped in furs, clearly a ruthless killer out for blood!
Spreet missed, so I closed in and managed to score a wound, but was soon in trouble and took a wound too, and it would have been worse if the Monks hadn’t blessed me before we left on the quest! With a final heroic effort I managed to push the foe back and give Miyako an opening for a killing shot, phew!
Meanwhile Dorothea and Leonidas reached the first objective, but it was not the relic and on hearing footsteps turned find another foe behind them, quickly dispatched by Leonidas. I located another but triggered a landslide, thankfully not blocking a direction we needed to go, and Spreet got to a third, finding a Scout’s Cloak.
Dorothea first thought the next area was empty, but after searching found a very well balanced Bastard Sword that she handed to me. I have to admit I love that sword. As she and Leonidas started to make their way back to the rest of us yet another enemy group appeared. There were three, but as soon as the first sprouted two arrows in his chest the others disappeared from view!
A cautious approach saved the day, as I made my way forward, the enemy slinger missed me and the other one leapt from hiding but my armour held off the attack, allowing me to then grab the initiative and force my way through the gap. Spreet shot and killed the Slinger, I killed my target and hopefully that was it.
Unfortunately the next area we searched unleashed a hidden trap, wounding Miyako, but then we did finally find the object of the quest. Poor Ivar will be out of action for many weeks and frankly I thought my own end had come when that berserker wrapped in furs appeared, and indeed I now have an impressive scar to help me remember the encounter! We settle in for the night before setting off back to Freefield, but as night falls we realise there is something strange in the woods nearby …”
We managed to get into pretty good positions before the enemy realised, and as soon as they did spot us, Miyago shot one. Spreet missed though, and drew too much attention, and the returning crossbow bolt didn’t miss! I found myself in combat with a dangerous enemy agent, somewhat more skilled than the average cultist. A hard fought battle, I finally bested him, but in a counterattack with his last dying breath, he rendered me unconscious!
Back in camp that night we realise Ivar is not doing too well and we decamp first thing in the morning for Frostfire Ford. Along the way we meet a travelling bard to finishes the journey with us and promises to sing of our great deeds in the future.
We get Ivar to a healer, and plan to spend time training, but then word reached us from the monks that one of their number has been captured by Slave Raiders nearby, and the next part of their quest is to rescue him. The slavers intended to make their way through the Dark Marshes, but had camped before moving too far in and that is where we came upon them. They were clearly preparing to move and some of their number were already scouting the best path through the marsh, we must hurry before our chance is
While waiting for Brother Marcus, Ivar and Erik to be ready for the trip to Freefield, I decided we would deal with the Cultist hideout we had located. As we packed to leave, I was approached by a Duskling with the delightful name of Grak Skullsplitter, looking to join us in our mission.
We approached the enemy’s hideout, until one of them spotted Leonidas and raised the alarm. We started to juggle for position, but Grak got himself into trouble and was lucky to only take a wound. I am busy dispatching a cultist and can’t help.
Knowing Leonidas is coming to help, Grak dives back in and kills a cultist, then Leonidas kills another. The third cultist on that flank attacks Leonidas but doesn’t land a hit. Now though Dorothea is in trouble, the leader of the cultists is in fact a Scheming Heretic who Charms her into inactivity, and a cultist then charges in!
Thankfully the cultist fails to do any damage and before he can try again I cut him down from behind. Meanwhile Miyako realising the threat, manages a clear shot on the Heretic and down he goes! The cultists keep going though and their one bowman finally manages a shot, wounding me! Spreet shoots another cultist, but the other one on the right is a harder task, both Leonidas and Grak try to take him out, Leonidas picks up a wound and Grak goes down! To make matter worse, Dorothea successfully heals my wound, but the scent of the magic attracts a pack of lurking giant rats! Miyako does well to take out the Cult Lieutenant before he can do any further harm. The last cultist is the bowman, he tries for me again, but the arrow doesn’t penetrate my chainmail this time, and then Spreet takes him down. That should be that, but of course now we have the rats to deal with. Dorothea is forced into hand-to-hand combat, but soon is on the defensive, but I wade in and my trusty Bastard Sword is soon coated in rat blood, as I kill 4!. Leonidas has bandaged himself up, and accounts for two rats, Miyako gets one, Dorothea gets in a lucky blow with her staff, and the threat is easily dealt with.
We arrived back in Frostfire Ford with a grand tale to tell! The cult threat has been dealt with, Grak was only wounded, the death of the Scheming Heretic was a welcome bonus, and we came away with some gold coins and a War Axe for Leonidas. Tomorrow, we will escort Brother Marcus back to Freefield.
We set of quite early, knowing we would need to camp at least once on our journey. We had reached Waybrook Gap, and were starting to navigate through the rocky foothills, when Spreet caught site of movement and alerted us that someone, or something, was approaching. It was Leonidas though who raised the alarm as he recognised the cold blooded foe that had been raiding his homeland.
First round all archers missed while the melee troops got ready to fight, and the second round also saw ineffective archery as the foe made good use of the available rocky cover. That however was no defence against my sword and I dealt with the archer and saw off an attack from another lizard. Theses lizards proved to be quite resilient though and my opponent also survived an attack by Erik, while Leonidas took a wound. They couldn’t hold out for long though as I did take out my enemy, while Leonidas stunned his and Erik finished him off. Before we could celebrate though, Miyako alerted us to more foe coming through.
Wary of the enemy archer, Dorothea cast Distract and both Spreet and Miyako decided they had better get closer before trying again! Leonidas couldn’t wait to see if they could hit anything at last though and charged into the archer, neatly removing its head with his new War Axe! Then. Miyako finally got a shot on true, admittedly at close range in the open, and downed the enemy leader. The battle was over, we could continue on our way.
We moved on through the edge of Waybrook Forest and camped there for night. In the morning I remembered the map we found on the leader of the Old Ones, it seemed to point to location of a monster’s lair and we resolved to go and look for it after dropping off Brother Marcus at Freefield.
However, it seems that first we would have to deal with some fools who wanted to rob us! They got quite close before Spreet spotted movement in the trees and sounded the alarm, but we soon dealt with the fools and only two survived to run away. Leonidas took a slight wound and we thought we’d lost Grak but he was only knocked unconscious. It should be said that he doesn’t seem to have much head for battle!
Eventually we made Freefield, said goodbye to Brother Marcus, and prepared to go Monster Hunting.
We split up in the forest, to look for the beast, and I was pretty far from the rest of the gang when I spied it, a nasty looking Ogre, who sadly spied me at the same time! It was a hard fought battle of back and forth and just as the gang reached us I managed to land the final blow.
We arrived back in Freefield with the Monster’s head, and during the merriment that evening we learnt of yet more attacks by strange Fey creatures and sighting of a possible camp in the forest.
Once again we headed into the forest, looking for the enemy camp, only to spot movement on the pathway. A group of goblins were clearly visible, but a second, more screened by the trees, were off to the left. We split into two teams and hoped we could deal with this without calling more trouble down on us. We laid our ambush and prepared to strike, but as the movement to the left resolved into four more goblins, we realised this wasn’t going to be easy!
Spreet and Miyako let fly and the battle was on. Three goblins down in the first round, another four in the second, and the last one was running away, things looked good. Then we realised that Grak was down and more goblins were on the way!
The goblins spotted Leonidas apparently all on his own and rushed towards him, but our battle scared Feral knew better than to take on those odds and waited for the enemy to come to him, while the rest of us rushed to his aid. Our archers did well, downing two, and Leo using a bush for cover got in a counterattack that dealt with a third, and the last one turned tail and fled.
We could take no joy in this victory however as we found to our dismay that Grak was dead! We vowed there and then to put an end to these Fey intruders!
The next day we continued towards where we believed the enemy camp to be, it seems we were indeed on the right track as we were attacked by a pack of Lynx clearly at the command of their Fey masters.
The first beast to get close was shot by Miyako but the rest kept coming. Then as we braced to meet their charge, yet another four appeared on our right, lead by one appearing to be wearing armour! We couldn’t wait for the first group to hit us, we had to charge into them.
It was a hard fought battle, with even Dorothea and Spreet reduced to hand-to-claw fighting, but I eventually took down the armoured beast and we could count our wounds. Leo had an impressive scar even after Dorothea healed him, Spreet needed a bandage, and although Erik went down in the battle he wasn’t badly hurt and his broken spear was repairable.
Eventually we reached a clearing in the forest to behold some truly strange creatures, half human, half horse.
Spreet took an arrow early on, but Dorothea healed him. The enemy closed in fast and both myself and Leonidas got stuck into hand-to-hand combat while the archers took out the enemy archers, but the final centaur galloped off into the forest, no doubt to warn his friends.
When we reached where they had camped we found a clue as to where the enemy leaders had a their hideout deeper within the woods.
We spent the night under the stars and set off early the next morning. We were working our way deeper into the forest when it appeared the very trees themselves had come alive to hinder our progress!
These devils were tough and it seemed we would never take them all down, but eventually we were faced by nothing but normal trees, though I fear that once again that one of them got away to raise a warning, we would need to be careful. Both Erik and Ivar went down in the battle, thankfully neither died and in fact Ivar was only stunned, but Erik had broken his arm and was sent back to town to recover.
Finally we found the last bastion of the enemy, this would be our toughest battle yet as we sawing hulking bulls walking upright and a fully armoured form that had to be the Fey leader
This was indeed our hardest battle yet and at the point where three of my comrades were on the ground I figured we had bitten off more than we could chew. My personal duel with the Fey leader lasted for three turns, but finally I, and we, were victorious!
When I came to tally the cost, I found Dorothea with a minor wound, Ivar had been stunned (again!), and Spreet had a very lucky escape. The gods were clearly smiling on us, and the Waybrook Forest seemed somehow more at peace as we travelled through it back to Freefield.
With the Fey threat removed, it was time to take on the third part of our quest for the Monks.
Turn 3 - As we were on our way to Freefield
During the evening in Sandy Wharf, one of the locals tells a tale of similar creatures and their strange Fey masters and the following morning we decide to move on to Freefield. Along the way the meet a despairing villager who tells us of more of these beastmen moving through the forest towards Sandy Wharf, and we decide to take them on.
Erik was the first to get to grips with the enemy but came off badly and would have likely been killed if not for Dorothea’s Heal spell. Preet got a good shot at the advancing minotaur and Ivar followed up and killed the beast, while I wounded two fauns
Preet killed one outright, Erik did better and wounded his attacker (which Miyako then shot and killed). I was attacked by two and killed them both! At this point the two enemy archers (one now which had run out of arrows) ran away! Against the odds, the lone remaining enemy put Ivar out of action, which made Preet angry enough that he leapt over the hedge and killed it. Job done!
Turn 4 - A rest stop and a new companion
We managed to get poor Ivar to Freefield and did some work locally to pay for our board and even earned a little. We decided to rest up and let Ivar heal and stayed in Freefield for market day, although we didn’t learn anything useful. While taking Ivar to the healer so he would be fit to fight again, I realised that we had come close to losing him and looked for someone to join us. We were fortuitous and found Leonidas, ready to join us as long as we promised to help rid the Barrens of Ecthel of the strange cold blooded beasts that have appeared there.
Turn 5 - Under Contract
Time to try out a Contract and a different enemy, The Whispers from Beyond, so a chance to use some ghouls from my Undead army.
Miyako was the first to reach the cart and seeing three shambling forms coming up towards her, let fly, and the first enemy dropped to the ground. The enemy kept coming, three more burst through the trees on our left, another three on the right. Shambling monstrosities, no longer men. Preet shot and wounded one while I fought my way past the cart to kill one, but they showed no sign of faltering.
Next I faced off against one in monk’s robes, was this the novice we had come to find? Sadly I had no choice and plunged my sword into its chest. Miyago fired and then found herself out of ammo, but a quick spell by Dorothea and she was re-supplied. Leonidas and Erik had bided their time and now attacked, Leonidas killed his and then the other, but not before Erik took a wound. Miyako shot the last one and the battle was over so I could look over the contents of the cart.
Relics they said! This is treasure and worth much more that the five gold we were promised! But we escorted it back to town untouched, I’d rather have the monks on my side, and we had grave tidings to bear. I was right, on learning what we had seen, the monks gave us a Quest…
Turn 6 - The Monk’s Quest, Part 1 The Thieves
This next game is part one of a Quest, and called for a Site Battle, but I didn’t have any relevant terrain, so I had to get creative with some decorative stones. The enemy this time are human so I called in some troops from my Viking army.
We made our way carefully through the rocky terrain, unable to see much in any direction, until three of the pillagers appeared around a corner in front of us and the battle was on. Miyako fired off a shot, taking down the man armed with a sling and we dispatched the other two in short order but the commotion drew others into the fray.
Things were going well until Ivar pushed his luck too far and charged ahead of the rest of us and was taken down. Miyako got a shot off, stopping that guy in his tracks, but Spreet was now angry and abandoning his bow charged at the foe blocking anyone else. Thankfully Spreet took down his target, but then round the next corner came a figure that made even me pause, a viscious looking warrior wrapped in furs, clearly a ruthless killer out for blood!
Spreet missed, so I closed in and managed to score a wound, but was soon in trouble and took a wound too, and it would have been worse if the Monks hadn’t blessed me before we left on the quest! With a final heroic effort I managed to push the foe back and give Miyako an opening for a killing shot, phew!
Meanwhile Dorothea and Leonidas reached the first objective, but it was not the relic and on hearing footsteps turned find another foe behind them, quickly dispatched by Leonidas. I located another but triggered a landslide, thankfully not blocking a direction we needed to go, and Spreet got to a third, finding a Scout’s Cloak.
Dorothea first thought the next area was empty, but after searching found a very well balanced Bastard Sword that she handed to me. I have to admit I love that sword. As she and Leonidas started to make their way back to the rest of us yet another enemy group appeared. There were three, but as soon as the first sprouted two arrows in his chest the others disappeared from view!
A cautious approach saved the day, as I made my way forward, the enemy slinger missed me and the other one leapt from hiding but my armour held off the attack, allowing me to then grab the initiative and force my way through the gap. Spreet shot and killed the Slinger, I killed my target and hopefully that was it.
Unfortunately the next area we searched unleashed a hidden trap, wounding Miyako, but then we did finally find the object of the quest. Poor Ivar will be out of action for many weeks and frankly I thought my own end had come when that berserker wrapped in furs appeared, and indeed I now have an impressive scar to help me remember the encounter! We settle in for the night before setting off back to Freefield, but as night falls we realise there is something strange in the woods nearby …”
Turn 7 - Whispers from Beyond
This is actually the second battle using the undead list (Turn 5 was the first) and the first appearance of the Cultists.
Rather than return straight to Freefield we decided to check out the source of the camp fire at the forest edge we spotted the evening before. So we made Ivar comfortable and set off again, unprepared for the strange sights we were to behold. Twisted men who had clearly fallen under the influence of an insidious cult, and needed to be purged!
We managed to get into pretty good positions before the enemy realised, and as soon as they did spot us, Miyago shot one. Spreet missed though, and drew too much attention, and the returning crossbow bolt didn’t miss! I found myself in combat with a dangerous enemy agent, somewhat more skilled than the average cultist. A hard fought battle, I finally bested him, but in a counterattack with his last dying breath, he rendered me unconscious!
I was told later that Leonidas faired better and took down his opponent. Taking no chances, Dorothea cast Distract on the enemy archer, giving the rest of the gang time to close in and get the initiative. Leonidas struck first and killed the threat. Spreet and Miyago both scored wounds. Miyago went to fire again, found just one arrow left in her large quiver, but made it count (and Dorothea cast Darts to refill her quiver). Erik also killed a cultist, but it seems the remaining two felt no fear and kept coming. Leonidas meanwhile looted the enemy camp, finding a very nice new staff for Dorothea. Leonidas killed another cultist and then the final one rashly decided to attack him and that didn’t end well.
With the battle over, finally the team could rush to my aid, and found me sitting shaking my head groggily, and were apparently relieved to find I had only been knocked out! Thankfully the gang were successful without me and a search of the enemy alerted us to the location of their secret hideout.
Turn 8 - The Monk’s Quest, Part 2 The Slavers
By this time I have started really thinking about the narrative element of the campaign, and here we have slavers about to make their way into the marshlands, with our heroes having to rescue the Monk before the can lead him away
We get Ivar to a healer, and plan to spend time training, but then word reached us from the monks that one of their number has been captured by Slave Raiders nearby, and the next part of their quest is to rescue him. The slavers intended to make their way through the Dark Marshes, but had camped before moving too far in and that is where we came upon them. They were clearly preparing to move and some of their number were already scouting the best path through the marsh, we must hurry before our chance is
In my new Scout’s Cloak, I manage to get quite close before being spotted, Spreet downed a slinger, Miyako started firing on the troops in the Marsh to hold them at bay, and the rest of the team charged out of the trees. Sadly the enemy were over their surprise, but Dorothea distracted the remaining slinger and the slaver who attacked me payed the ultimate price for his courage, and I was free to get close enough to the lead slaver, though could not yet defeat him. The remaining slinger was now fighting for his life and proving to be a tough little beggar, Leonidas was fought to a standstill and Erik took a wound! At this point a couple of the slavers in the marsh decided they had had enough.
I still couldn’t kill the enemy leader but did manage to push him away from the captive, but now the slinger took out Erik and the last two slavers had made it back out of the marsh! Leonidas finally took out the slinger and Spreet shot another slaver, leaving just two on the field. Leonidas killed one, freeing the prisoner again, while I finally bested the leader. The day was ours!
Having rescued the captive, one Brother Marcus, and got him back to Frostfire safely, we install Erik at the same healer as Ivar, both will need a couple of weeks before they can rejoin us, at which point we will need to escort the monk back to his brethren in Freefield.
I still couldn’t kill the enemy leader but did manage to push him away from the captive, but now the slinger took out Erik and the last two slavers had made it back out of the marsh! Leonidas finally took out the slinger and Spreet shot another slaver, leaving just two on the field. Leonidas killed one, freeing the prisoner again, while I finally bested the leader. The day was ours!
Having rescued the captive, one Brother Marcus, and got him back to Frostfire safely, we install Erik at the same healer as Ivar, both will need a couple of weeks before they can rejoin us, at which point we will need to escort the monk back to his brethren in Freefield.
Turn 9 - Undead Hideout
First appearance of the camp set and the first time the Lurkers rule kicked in, a random chance that using magic will bring more enemies into play.
We approached the enemy’s hideout, until one of them spotted Leonidas and raised the alarm. We started to juggle for position, but Grak got himself into trouble and was lucky to only take a wound. I am busy dispatching a cultist and can’t help.
Knowing Leonidas is coming to help, Grak dives back in and kills a cultist, then Leonidas kills another. The third cultist on that flank attacks Leonidas but doesn’t land a hit. Now though Dorothea is in trouble, the leader of the cultists is in fact a Scheming Heretic who Charms her into inactivity, and a cultist then charges in!
Thankfully the cultist fails to do any damage and before he can try again I cut him down from behind. Meanwhile Miyako realising the threat, manages a clear shot on the Heretic and down he goes! The cultists keep going though and their one bowman finally manages a shot, wounding me! Spreet shoots another cultist, but the other one on the right is a harder task, both Leonidas and Grak try to take him out, Leonidas picks up a wound and Grak goes down! To make matter worse, Dorothea successfully heals my wound, but the scent of the magic attracts a pack of lurking giant rats! Miyako does well to take out the Cult Lieutenant before he can do any further harm. The last cultist is the bowman, he tries for me again, but the arrow doesn’t penetrate my chainmail this time, and then Spreet takes him down. That should be that, but of course now we have the rats to deal with. Dorothea is forced into hand-to-hand combat, but soon is on the defensive, but I wade in and my trusty Bastard Sword is soon coated in rat blood, as I kill 4!. Leonidas has bandaged himself up, and accounts for two rats, Miyako gets one, Dorothea gets in a lucky blow with her staff, and the threat is easily dealt with.
We arrived back in Frostfire Ford with a grand tale to tell! The cult threat has been dealt with, Grak was only wounded, the death of the Scheming Heretic was a welcome bonus, and we came away with some gold coins and a War Axe for Leonidas. Tomorrow, we will escort Brother Marcus back to Freefield.
Turn 10 - Escort duty and first appearance of The Cold Ones
Each campaign has three Threats, and due to already having a Reptile army, my third was The Cold Ones.
First round all archers missed while the melee troops got ready to fight, and the second round also saw ineffective archery as the foe made good use of the available rocky cover. That however was no defence against my sword and I dealt with the archer and saw off an attack from another lizard. Theses lizards proved to be quite resilient though and my opponent also survived an attack by Erik, while Leonidas took a wound. They couldn’t hold out for long though as I did take out my enemy, while Leonidas stunned his and Erik finished him off. Before we could celebrate though, Miyako alerted us to more foe coming through.
Spreet and Miyako were not having a good day, yet more arrows bounced off rocks! Leonidas had been healed by Dorothea and lept in to protect the hapless archers. Another attempt and still both archers missed again. Thankfully the enemy archers was equally ineffective. I downed another foe, now there were two left, and the we advanced on the hill.
Wary of the enemy archer, Dorothea cast Distract and both Spreet and Miyako decided they had better get closer before trying again! Leonidas couldn’t wait to see if they could hit anything at last though and charged into the archer, neatly removing its head with his new War Axe! Then. Miyako finally got a shot on true, admittedly at close range in the open, and downed the enemy leader. The battle was over, we could continue on our way.
Turn 11 - Attacked again, what a journey!
I’m skipping over the stuff that happens between battles, with random tables for loot and events after the battle and more events before the next one, but it all adds to the fun and the story line.
However, it seems that first we would have to deal with some fools who wanted to rob us! They got quite close before Spreet spotted movement in the trees and sounded the alarm, but we soon dealt with the fools and only two survived to run away. Leonidas took a slight wound and we thought we’d lost Grak but he was only knocked unconscious. It should be said that he doesn’t seem to have much head for battle!
Eventually we made Freefield, said goodbye to Brother Marcus, and prepared to go Monster Hunting.
Turn 12 - Ogre Hunt
I plan to make sure I cover all aspects of the rules during this campaign, so this is my first monster hunt. Monsters are the only thing with ‘hit points’, and the Ogre is the first of 21 in the progressively harder list. This hunt involves the main character looking for the beast and then the rest moving in to help with the kill.
We arrived back in Freefield with the Monster’s head, and during the merriment that evening we learnt of yet more attacks by strange Fey creatures and sighting of a possible camp in the forest.
Turn 13 - Goblins!
This next game was originally going to be another simple Camp Raid, but I realised the Story Points were stacking up and the Quest was a bit of a distraction from the main aim of clearing down Enemy Threats, so a plot was hatched to have a series of games against the Fey threat. Game 13 became a Meeting Engagement against Goblin Raiders but that meant they had Outflanking on their side and then Lady Chance also threw Unknown Enemy into the mix, so the 9 goblins became 4 in view, an unknown counter that resolved to another 4, and a final group of 4 more turning up later!
Spreet and Miyako let fly and the battle was on. Three goblins down in the first round, another four in the second, and the last one was running away, things looked good. Then we realised that Grak was down and more goblins were on the way!
The goblins spotted Leonidas apparently all on his own and rushed towards him, but our battle scared Feral knew better than to take on those odds and waited for the enemy to come to him, while the rest of us rushed to his aid. Our archers did well, downing two, and Leo using a bush for cover got in a counterattack that dealt with a third, and the last one turned tail and fled.
We could take no joy in this victory however as we found to our dismay that Grak was dead! We vowed there and then to put an end to these Fey intruders!
Turn 14 - The Lynx Effect
The Fey list called for Elfin Hounds, but I was really taken by these Lynx figures and even have one in armour for their leader.
The first beast to get close was shot by Miyako but the rest kept coming. Then as we braced to meet their charge, yet another four appeared on our right, lead by one appearing to be wearing armour! We couldn’t wait for the first group to hit us, we had to charge into them.
It was a hard fought battle, with even Dorothea and Spreet reduced to hand-to-claw fighting, but I eventually took down the armoured beast and we could count our wounds. Leo had an impressive scar even after Dorothea healed him, Spreet needed a bandage, and although Erik went down in the battle he wasn’t badly hurt and his broken spear was repairable.
Turn 15 - The Enemy Camp
There are no cavalry in the 5LB rules and in fact the list for the Fey has some dismounted knights, but I have these Centaur minis already so …
Spreet took an arrow early on, but Dorothea healed him. The enemy closed in fast and both myself and Leonidas got stuck into hand-to-hand combat while the archers took out the enemy archers, but the final centaur galloped off into the forest, no doubt to warn his friends.
When we reached where they had camped we found a clue as to where the enemy leaders had a their hideout deeper within the woods.
Turn 16 - The Trees are moving!
To remove a threat, you need to get rid of their camp and their hideout and also fight a number of battles, so I needed this little ambush before the final battle.
These devils were tough and it seemed we would never take them all down, but eventually we were faced by nothing but normal trees, though I fear that once again that one of them got away to raise a warning, we would need to be careful. Both Erik and Ivar went down in the battle, thankfully neither died and in fact Ivar was only stunned, but Erik had broken his arm and was sent back to town to recover.
Turn 17 - The end of the Fey threat
Not actually possessing any Elves, even the final battle needed a substitute, time for the Minotaurs!
This was indeed our hardest battle yet and at the point where three of my comrades were on the ground I figured we had bitten off more than we could chew. My personal duel with the Fey leader lasted for three turns, but finally I, and we, were victorious!
When I came to tally the cost, I found Dorothea with a minor wound, Ivar had been stunned (again!), and Spreet had a very lucky escape. The gods were clearly smiling on us, and the Waybrook Forest seemed somehow more at peace as we travelled through it back to Freefield.
Turn 18 - Waylaid
Okay, I admit it, this was just an excuse to use the bridge I built.
This necessitated a journey south to the main town of Skypool, but before leaving we were approached by a clansman of Grak, called Graug, who wished to take his place. The journey was long and we were almost pleased when we were waylaid by a band of rag-tag brigands and their strangely charismatic leader. It seems our clearing the Ice-Heart Court from the locality had just encouraged the local brigands to move in.
However, I don’t think they were at all prepared for the likes of us and we made short work of them! Thankfully Graug proved to be more of a Warrior than his poor clansman.
Turn 19 - Arrival in Skypool
The rest of our journey was uneventful, though we did hear from a passing Merchant that things were not well in the area around Skypool, where the undead seem to be abroad both night and day, and more reptilian beasts had been making a nuisance of themselves.
Turn 20 - The Monk’s Quest, Part 3 The Faceless
I like the idea of the Quest, it uses enemies off the others lists you didn’t pick as threats. How I did these Faceless troops is in a Post. I also used the opportunity to field some nice scenery.
These warriors were tough, Leonidas took a cut and Miyako took a crossbow bolt, but we were victorious and very happy to find the farmer and his family held inside their home, who told us they had been forced to keep faming and to feed the enemy when they returned from scouting around Skypool. A successful end to another part of our quest then.
Interlude
So there we are. Twenty turns into the Campaign, one threat removed, and still plenty to do and plenty of the map to cover.
As well as two more threats to end, there’s the Quest to finish, more monsters to hunt, and I haven’t done a Delve yet (mostly because I haven’t made a dungeon) so, much more of Gunnar’s Diary to come!
Turn 21 - Contract to slay the Werewolf
I felt it was time to try another monster hunt, and I nearly regretted it. The Werewolf’s high toughness and ability to Counter-attack made for a lot more toe-to-toe combat than usual.
Arriving back at Skypool, we spent the evening in a tavern, and were sitting happily celebrating when a small group of locals approached our table. It seems that word was starting to get around about us, perhaps due to that Bard we met some time back?
The locals told us they needed to travel through Dragon Woodland to get to Frostfireford tomorrow night, but that would mean being in the woods during a full moon and they were scared of a Werewolf lurking in said woods. They pleaded with us to set out that night and slay the beast.
There were three possible locations for the beast’s lair. The first turned up a stash of clothing, armour and weapons, clearly taken from the Werewolf’s victims. There was no doubt we were in the right area.
As I approached the second location, a stand of five trees, the damned thing came hurtling towards me! Thankfully I fended off it’s first attack and I proceeded to try and hold it off until the rest of the team could reach us. This needed some fancy footwork, the use of my shield, and not pushing my luck when I did wound it.
Eventually the rest got into range, Miyako managed to get an arrow into it but it seemed to ignore it! I drove it back but it just redoubled its efforts, raking its claws across my chainmail just infuriated it, and it poured all its bestial might into the next attack, damn near taking my leg off. I fell to the ground and prepared to die.
However, Dorothea conjured her Leopard familiar which leapt into the fray and distracted the beast and gave Leonidas and Graug time to prepare a pincer attack. Graug was ineffectual, but Leonidas gave it another wound, while the Leopard made itself a target for the beast. The archers and Dorothea could only look on as their own team mates were now in the way.
The beast was hard pressed and thankfully couldn’t recover from its wounds, it wounded and stunned Leonidas but that gave Graug another opportunity to wound it again. The beast counter attacked and forced him back, but that opened up the opportunity the two archers had been waiting for. Two more arrows hit home, but again didn’t seem to even slow the beast down! They must have distracted it though as Graug seized his opportunity and struck a final mighty blow, finally dropping the beast at his feet!
Turn 22 - Facing the Undead
Time to start working on clearing another foe, so I rolled on Enemy Threats to find there were Undead who were Passing Through on their way to Gather Information.
Word reached me of a group of undead moving through the foothills seemingly towards Skypool, and I felt it was time to find out what is behind these incursions. As we approached we could clearly see two groups of skeletons plus vague signs of movement. The two sides warily approached each other, the skeletons shambling slowly, until our archers could start to fire, but both of them saw their first hits just bounce off the bones and I realised that this may be more of a challenge than first expected. Then Leonidas got close enough to work out what the movement was, and this was clearly going to turn into a gruelling battle, with no quarter asked or given.
I called the team to attack the now larger group in the centre, in the hope they could be dispatched before the other group could join them. Leonidas was first to engage and was delighted to fell one with his first blow. I took on their leader, which parried my first strike with it’s shield but the second cut straight through it. Another foe then challenged me, but was no trouble. Graug faired less well as a Skeleton managed to wound him before he could push it back, and I could not help him as I faced a third Skeleton and whittled it down, only to be faced by a fourth who I had to parry with my shield before it too was down.
As the rest kept shambling forward, Miyako shot and wounded the one that had attacked Graug while Dorothea healed Graug, who then leapt in to attack again, killing it this time.
The hand-to-hand combat raged on. Leonidas took out the last enemy on the left and I ploughed into one of the last group, force the remaining three to split their attack between myself and Graug. Spreet got a solid hit on one but again saw his arrow have no effect at all, but Miyako faired better, downing one that had been heading towards Graug, just as well as the other was proving hard to beat.
I then dispatched another though and Graug finally dealt with his, and the battle was done.
Turn 23 - Going down!
One battle type not yet played is a Delve, I had finally made enough dungeon tiles, so it was time to give it a go.
We were right to suspect someone was living down here, I soon came upon a stash of travelling cloaks and boots near the entrance that included five gold coins, clearly the inhabitants were not expecting visitors! Just as I finished looting the stash I heard voices approaching.
In no mood to play hide-and-seek, I let myself be seen but held back so the others could reach me, with our archers watching our backs. They carried on advancing cautiously though as if sensing I was waiting for them much too calmly, and I was still trying to decide whether I could lure them right into the room, when a shout went up from Spreet, more enemies had appeared behind us!
Spreetks arrow bounced off a wall, but Miyako’s flew true and a scream from the downed foe echoed throughout the dungeon, probably alerting all denizens that were we here. That tore it I waded into the advancing foe, killing one and enabling Graug to push past and take on another. Graug wounded one and pushed him back before the thrid one attacked him and paid the ultimate price for his folly.
The foe were clearly more at home here than us and seemed to be gaining the upper hand. Leonidas went uo to support Graug, and Dorethea went back to check on the two archers, which left me stuck in a corridor alone … but not alone! Unknown to us, someone else had been wandering about the dungeon looking for easy pickings, but now with a full blown battle ranging he was looking for an easy out, and my unprotected back seemed like an easy target.
I hastily parried his first blow, and pushed him back a bit, the other fight was now behind me and I heard Graug gasp as he took a wound, but I now took the fight to the crafty thief and scored a wound on him as I continued to push him back, and behind me it sounded like Graug was victorious. Meanwhile, two nasty looking cultists continued to menace Spreet and Miyako, but they got one more shot off and downed them both, phew!
It was then that Dorothea made a near fatal mistake. Realising that our archers were no longer in trouble, she turned back towards me, coming face-to-face with the thief who realising I was no pushover had decided to make a break for the exit. Expecting to see me, Dorothea was complete unprepared for the sneaky dagger to the gut as he rushed past.
That delay was his undoing, and I spared no thought for the rogue as I cut him down, then called Miyako to come and look after Dorothea while we continued to clear this nest of foulness.
Trusting the team to deal with anything this place had left to throw at us, we went our seperate ways.
Graug and Leonidas met three more cultists but despatched them without incident. I found more loot including jars of spices that would fetch a few gold in town, and Spreet found a hidden Fine Helmet which he gifted to me later as it was made for a human head, not a Preen.
Leonidas found a interesting section of floor that looked like something had been hidden there but was not there anymore (we later found a bag of gems on the thief’s body). Spreet and I met up and continued together, which was lucky because when we found a collapsed area later, he was the one who found passage through.
The four of us then reached the final room together to find three cultists, the craven cowards had clearly planned to hide out with their main stash and leave the fighting to their comrades.
After what had happened to Dorothea, we were in no mood to look favourably on them, and they were no match for the four of us. We dug through their stash and found a chainmail surcoat that gave off a faint glow in the torchlight, later finding it had curative effects during battles.
With that we gathered up Miyako and the now ambulatory, but serously wounded, Dorothea.
Turn 24 - Lookin’ for adventure … and whatever comes our way
The new supplement, Paths in the Wilderness, was released this week and includes a Sea Travel table, so I moved the next part of the Monk’s Quest over to the island that was always sat there on the map enticingly. I was also taken by the new Roaming Aberrations section to change up how the Ingredient Search scenario played out.
We got Dorothea safely back to Skybloom and took her to the local chapter of the monks who we have been doing quests for. They were eager to help, indeed if anything a little too eager, and we soon found out why, when the Abbott came to see us.
To the East of Nalar Point is an island called Hotbloom, home to just a single small fishing village centred around a monastery. The monastery is home to a different brotherhood who apparently don’t take kindly to the Abbott due to some incident in the past he carefully skirted over. Recently though it has come to the Abbott’s attention that the island is also home to Afelthane, a very rare plant said to cure ailments of the mind. In return for tending to poor Dorothea, the Abbott asks that we travel to Hotbloom and retrieve some.
We leave the next day on a ship that frequently trades with the fishermen on Hotbloom. The Abbott pays the fare and the journey passing without incident, though Spreet is sure he saw a black sail disappearing round the east coast of the island as we pulled into the harbour.
The monks of Hotbloom do not seem at all antagonistic and I begin to wonder what the Abbott did to them, but when we discretely enquire about Afelthane they also seem way too eager to set us on the track to a ruin near the centre of the island. We arrive without incident and start looking around but then Miyako spots a huge beast lumbering through the trees! With the body of a lion, wings of a bat, and a wickedly spiked tail like a scorpion, it appears we have somehow stumbled across a Manticore!
The team and I were positioning ourselves to meet the beast when it fires out some sort of spine, that penetrates Ivar’s armour without trouble! Miyako is well placed to get off a shot and I am glad to see her arrow sink into the shoulder of the beast, but it keeps coming.
Spreet is next to land an arrow, also drawing blood, but not stopping it. Leonidas, Graug, and I close on the beast and it lets out a mighty below and heads straight for me! I fight back and get the upper hand, but my first hit doesn’t penetrate it’s tough hide. My next blow does connect, causing the beast to lash it’s barbed tail and forcing me to retreat. Miyako can no longer shoot without hitting us and goes to bandage Ivar’s wound.
Leonidas goes in next though and one swing of his trusty war axe does the job. The beast is down.
A thorough search of the area did turn up some Afelthane, which now that I was absolutely sure the brotherhood had sent us to meet our deaths, I did not disclose to the monks. Rejecting the offer to stay for another night, we headed back to the harbour and set sail immediately.
Turn 25 - Pirates!
I admit my first roll on the Sea Travel table coming up as No Event was a disappointment, so I immediately rolled again for the journey back and was overjoyed to roll up Pirates!
We were not far from the harbour when the black sailed ship put in an appearance to our port, but it turned out it was meant as a distraction. As the crew gave out a cry that has us charging onto the deck through both hatches we found that two small boats had allowed pirates to sneak up to starboard and board us.
Three rounds of battle followed but my team were in no mood to let these scoundrels get away with any plunder, and they were all quickly dispatched and the bodies kicked overboard as the captain wasted no time getting us back to Skypool.
On our return to the Abbott he is clearly repenting for sending us into such harm and treats us well, he has also tended to Dorothea personally, hastening her recovery. He also promises that the Order has nearly done with us, and only our final quest awaits.
Comments
Post a Comment