Through the Portal

Once Lionhart determined that passing through the portal was safe (sort of), I led the Legion through.

Our Arrival

I met with Donnell, laird of the MacGallivrey clan. We came to an understanding to work together against the Faedwyr.

While we were setting up camp, a swarm of redcaps attacked us. Fortunately, we were able to drive them off.

Concerned about the safety of the orb that we used to transport ourselves to the Isles, I entrusted its safety to Ulveblod.

Night Attack

By nightfall, our fortified camp was ready and sentries posted. The rest of the Legion sat about the fires, enjoying a meal and a few moments of rest. Donnell stayed with us and entertained the troops with stories about the wonders of the Isles. With his thick accent and the amount he drank, however, I doubt my men understood most of what he said. I decided to retire for the night.

My sleep was interrupted by alarms. I stepped out of my tent to the clash of arms of the sight of bloodshed. Redcaps!

I could hear those monstrous little creatures calling out "Get the orb! Get the orb!"

Grabbing a sword and shield, I waded through the fight, looking for Ulveblod. Then I saw him swarmed by redcaps. I tried to rush to his aid but more of the marauders held me up.

I saw a redcap rip a bag from Ulveblod's shoulders. Ulveblod pursued but got ambushed. A strike on the back of his head put him down. The redcaps ran off, screaming "We gots it!"

I was furious. "How did they get into the camp?"

Donnell came over to me, nursing a series of wounds. "Magic," he replied. Great, how do we defend against that?

But I had more immediate concerns. I called for my officers. "We have to get back the orb! Gather the men for pursuit!"

"Nae, laddie, no need for that." Donnell said. He pulled his hand into his sporran and pulled out the orb!

And that was our first day in the Isles. What will happen next?

OOO GAME NOTES

As typical, I have exaggerated for narrative purposes. The game was not at night. I was not sleeping in a tent when the redcaps attacked. Actually, I was one of the redcaps.

The switcheroo was real, however. I gave the bag with the orb to Brett (Ulveblod). As a redcap, I stole the bag from Brett and ran off. Once the scenario was over and I was proclaiming victory for the redcaps, Robb (Donnell) came over and pulled the orb from his bag. Well done!

We had 6 fighters today - me, Ulveblod, Donnell, Celer, Jayden, and Howl.

The Scout

The Portal

Last time, we recovered a magical orb from the orc's den. Our mystics inform us that the orb is a key that can open up a portal.

I, Comes Elias, order them to open the portal. Then I turn to my legionaries.

"Who will be the first through the portal? I ask.

Lionhart steps forward.

Legionary Lionhart

I give him his orders. Go through the portal, determine what's on the other side, and report back.

Lionhart steps through. Then, unexpectedly, the portal closes!

"Get him back!" I command the mystics. But they are unable to reopen the portal.

"We can't, Comes." they explain. "Someone has locked it from the other side!"

"Unlock it!"

They try various incantations without success. In frustration, they begin consulting various mystical tomes, looking for an answer. Then suddenly, the portal opens and Lionhart steps through.

💀💀💀

Lionhart's Report

Lionhart tells me that he appeared in a clearing and met a man wearing a kilt. The man introduced himself as Donnell, a laird (lord) of the local clans.

They were conversing when a swarm of redcaps, murderous goblin-like creatures, appeared.

A redcap

They managed to fight off the monsters, although each took some wounds. Fortunately, Donnell had a healing potion to negate some of damage.

Lionhart told the laird of his predicament. Donnell knew of a way. There was a dark elf nearby that had an orb. Retrieve it and Lionhart could return. Donnell offered to show Lionhart the way.

Along the path, more redcaps ambushed the duo. Again, they drove off the creatures.

Finally, they found the dark elf lord. 

Haughty and proud, the dark elf lord mocked them then cast a web upon Donnell. He then attacked Lionhart. His wicked elven blade sliced deep into Lionhart's arm. But Donnell escaped from the web and joined the fray. The dark elf used magic to blast Donnell, knocking him off his feet. Lionhart took this opportunity to attack. Soon, the elf was down.

Lionhart tended to Donnell's wounds, bringing him back to consciousness. He also searched the dark elf's belongings, finding an orb! Using it, Lionhart returned to the Legion.

What We Now Know

From the information we got from Donnell, we know that the dark elves are in force in the Isles, which lay northwest of Chevalia. However, some of the local clans are fighting back against the dark elves, whom they call the Faedwyr. Sounds like useful allies.

We still do not know the location of the lost prince. But it seems likely that he is now captive on the Isles. The Legion will pass through the portal to find out!

OOC Game Notes

Lionhart told us that he would miss the December event, so I created an end-of-the-year quest for him. This is his story.

Thanks to:

• RJ for the picture of Lionhart
• Gencraft AI for the other pictures
• Robb for his magnificent portrayal of Donnell
• Ryan and Neath for playing redcaps

Into the Orc Den

Ever since the Feast of Flowers, the Chimera Legion has been scouring the wilderness looking for any sign of the kidnapped prince.

Our scouts manage to find an orc den. The tracks match the raider's - this must be the place.

The First Assault

I, Comes Elias, split my troops into 2 companies. The first is led by Wyktor and Celer. 

Wyktor

They storm the den's entrance but meet stiff resistance. Wyktor uses shadow walk to sneak by the defenders and into the interior of the den. There he spies two heavy sacks. Surely the prince must be in one of them.

As Wyktor grabs one of the sacks, the orcs realize what happened. A swarm of orcs leave the defenses and rush to the back room. There they confront Wyktor, forcing him to retreat without a sack,

Our first attempt fails.

Company B

I lead this attack with Howl. We fight our way into the den and I come to the sacks. I drop my shield, grab one, and throw it over my shoulder. Howl covers me with his polearm, forcing orcs to scatter. I am able to escape with the sack.

We open it up. It's just a bag of bones. But mixed in with the bones, we discover a crystal ball. What could this be?

Celer's Lightning Strike

With one more sack, we decide to try again. This time, we take another approach. Our mystics weave a powerful explosive that blasts the orcs at the den entrance. Then Celer, imbued with superhuman strength from another spell, rushes into den, past the guards, and grabs the second sack. He then fights his way through a pack of orcs and out.

Alas, his sack only contains more bones. No prince! Where could they have taken him?

The Mystery Unveiled

I have our sages study the crystal ball. They inform me that it is a key to open a portal, like the ones we saw Henri go through.

"Open it," I tell the sages.

"But Comes, we have no idea where you will end up."

"Wherever it leads, the prince is likely there. Open it."

I call for the Legion to prepare. We are going through the portal. But where will it take us?

The Plot Thickens

The Feast of Flowers was a disaster. Though the party that answered the call of the Duke was able to rescue one of the King's sons, they were unable to recover the other. 

I, Comes Elias, after an unfortunate delay, finally arrived at Duke Etienne’s castle after this incident. I found that the drawbridge was closed and the Duke was ensconced inside. Just then, Jayden Rannal, one of our scouts, approached me.

This is Jayden's tale:

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I was approached on my journey back from the Feast of Flowers by an old friend, a female dark elf from my childhood. As my loyal mustang approached my home, her figure emerged from the tree line. As the rain fell, each drop was an explosion compared to the uncomfortable silence between us. 

"Haven't seen you in a while....", I said without turning my head and unpacking my horse. Still, she stood and said nothing. I continued to remove my bags and carry them to the house. I turned to look at her, standing in the gentle shower. "Well? Was there something you wanted?" 

She turned and began to walk back into the forest. I shrugged and turned to walk into the house when I heard her say, "They were hired..." 

I froze, my mind spinning at the possibilities opened by those words. "By who?". 

"...by us," her words stung into I and I turned only to find wet trees. Orcs, hired by the dark elves. But why? Ransom? Negotiation? I walked into the house and dropped my bags on the floor. As I walked deeper inside, I found a wrapped item on the table. I stepped towards it and picked it up. It was lighter than he expected. Was it empty? As I untied it, all I found was a symbol, which looked like a magic circle of some kind. I placed it in my pocket and left the house. Mounting my horse, I rode through the rain. Each drop felt like a thorn on my cheek. Luckily, the Duke's carriage was still near after the Feast and rescue. I road until I caught up to them. As I approached, the guards turned to stop me. 

"Duke! They were hired by the dark elves!" I yelled so that it could be heard in the carriage. The Duke opened the door. "Let him approach," the Duke ordered the guards. I approached and entered the carriage. I saw the Duke with concern in my eyes, and my rescued nephew wrapped in a blanket next to him. "What do you know?" I handed him the wrapping with the symbol, "The orcs were hired by the dark elves. I'm not sure why, but it has something to do with that marking." The Duke opened it and his eyes grew wide, "The seal!" I didn't know what it meant, but I knew it was something important. I did not ask, as it was not my place. "His blood, they need the King's blood to break it. But if they do...they can't be allowed to!" 

The Duke looked up and proclaimed, "We must take action now!" 

"But your grace, your nephew is most likely in an Orc den. That's if we are lucky. If we are not, he could be anywhere. Going into a den is dangerous. That's why we normally set fire to the entrance and kill them as they come out escaping the flames." 

"It doesn't matter how dangerous it is. The alternative is unthinkable." 

The Duke stood and leaned out of the carriage, calling for Gaston, his right-hand man.

“Gaston!” the Duke commanded, "Blow the horn and gather the troops. Whoever answers the call will have to do."

"To rescue your nephew, your Grace?" asked Gaston.

The Duke looked back with a mix of fear and shame in his eyes, "To stop the Dark Elves. If you can save him, do it, but his death may serve us better. In the meantime, I must protect Omri"
With that, the Duke ordered his carriage to proceed back to his castle. With a crack of a whip, the carriage was off.

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After Jayden gave his report, another scout approached me. Someone they tracked down the orcs involved in the raid and found their den. I am not sure what the dark elves are up to, but we now have a target. I shall prepare my men for a raid on the orc den. Hopefully, we can rescue the prince.

OOC NOTES

This story is a prelude to our event next Saturday.

Jayden's tale is courtesy of RJ. I made some minor tweaks to fit it into the planned narrative (specifically to allow Elias a role).

Fearsome Feast

I, Comes Elias, commander of the Chimera Legion, have received this report from Brother Lucius, a priest of Daeus assigned to the Legion.

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The Legion is still searching for the lost prince to no avail. However, I received word of strange happenings occurring as the Feast of Noctus Mortum approaches. The dead are rising from the grave as unholy revenants. I set out with a detachment to investigate these reports.

We arrived at one graveyard and found a chilling sight. A necromancer was raising the corpses. I ordered the Legion to attack and destroy the necromancer.

I stayed back, planted a totem, and used the power of Daeus to combat the foe. The necromancer took a similar action, although he called upon the powers of dark gods.

"Destroy the necromancer's totem!" I commanded.

The legionaries rushed at the necromancer, but the undead barred their way. Soon, the clash of weapons against bone and the screams of soldiers pierced the air. Battle was on!

One legionary reached the necromancer and struck the totem. It pulsed then faded briefly. The necromancer uttered some spells and the totem flared with a new burst of power. We would need greater effort to defeat him.

Then a wave of the undead rushed me, attacking my totem. Once then twice they struck and damaged it, but I was able to restore it. My comrades rushed to my aid and drove off the abominations.

The undead kept falling to our blades, but the necromancer kept bringing them back. Meanwhile, our men were suffering grievous wounds. I used the power of Daeus to restore them as well as I could. They continued to fight on.

Finally, our men broke through. A legionary named Howl struck at the totem. Once, twice. It exploded in a blast of power. The undead collapsed and the necromancer began to fade from view.

But as he melted away, the necromancer scoffed at us. "You may have won this battle, but you can't get rid of me that easily. I, Kraxius, shall return to plague you another day!" Then with a cackle, he was gone.

A picture of Kraxius. From RJ

Searching the battlefield, we discovered a magic item - the Shroudwalker's Talisman. Presumably Kraxius lost it. I have awarded it to Howl for his heroics on the battlefield.

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GAME NOTES

• The Feast of Noctus Mortum is our game world's version of Halloween. I wanted to do something in a Halloween vein so I brought back Kraxius.
• Robb played Kraxius and I played Brother Lucius.
• The other players were
• Howl and Lionheart as legionaries
• Celer and Jayden as the revenants
• The game was essentially ring the bell. We played best of 5.
• Robb and I were both injured so we did not fight. Instead, we just cast spells. Rather than attacking us, the other players had to strike our our "totems," which essentially were the bells.

The Rescue

As I, Comes Elias, mentioned in my last report, the Duke returned from the castle after the Feast of Flowers with dire news.

"My royal nephews, sons of the king, have been kidnapped by raiders!" the Duke announced. "We must rescue them!"

The attendees of the feast divided into two retinues - one led by Gaston LaCroix, the Duke's right hand man and the other by the Duke himself.

The Raiders

From the reports, we learned that the nephews of Bertrand VI, Omri and Henri, were taken by hideous pig-faced monsters. Orcs!

Gaston's Retinue

The Duke and Gaston lead their men into the woods, hoping to cut off the orcs. The trail splits; Gaston takes the right path. 

Soon, Gaston's retinue sees the orcs with one of the boys struggling in a sack. They pursue.

Howl webs the orc with sack. The rest of the retinue converge and cut the orc down. They have rescued Henri!

But more orcs swarm. They drive off Gaston's group and recover the sack. One particularly stealthy orc grabs the sack and carries it through a magical portal.

Henri is gone!

The Duke's Retinue

Meanwhile, the Duke is in hot pursuit of the other band of orcs. His men spot the raiders and rush into the fray.

The Duke following behind, notices the magical portal. Realizing that the orcs mean to escape through the portal, he rushes to block the way.

The rest of the warriors converge on the orc carrying the nephew and cut the bestial creature down. Ulveblod then picks up the nephew and carries him towards safety. The orcs are distracted and focus on fighting the Duke's men. This allows Ulveblod to escape with his charge. Omri is rescued!

GAME NOTES

We really need someone filming the lore fights. I don't see all the action so I may not be giving someone proper due. I just report what I saw and remembered. Feel free to post a comment with your own perspective on the fight!

The scenario is essentially heavy object, with a large stuffed burlap sack representing the royals. I used driveway markers to represent the portal.

A couple notes from the fight.

• Raph (aka Xeno) was the stealthy orc that made off with Henri.
• Ulveblod earned the Order of the Rose from the Duke for rescuing Omri.

On Pig Faced Orcs

I wanted to do some costuming for the orcs, but I did not want to shell out a lot for masks or use makeup. Pondering the dilemma, I had an epiphany. Pig-faced orcs!

For those not familiar, pig-faced orcs were the standard depiction in old school D&D. Take this picture from the 1977 AD&D Monster Manual.

While not in color, it is easy to imagine them with pig-flesh skin rather than the modern ubiquitous green. That means we don't need to die our skin! Costuming becomes simplified. To represent orcs, we just need pig noses, which I got cheap from Amazon.

What about Robb's excellent orc kit?

Robb's orc on the right

Robb has his own take on the lore, which I will post when I get the time. In my mind, though, orcs are products of twisted magical experiments melding men and beasts. So why not have different types of orcs? But I think the pig-faced orcs will be most prevalent in the Olden Wyrld.

The Feast of Flowers

Due to complications on our journey, I, Comes Elias of the Chimera Legion, was not able to attend the Feast of Flowers. I sent ahead a delegation under the command of Ulveblod and Xeno. They represented the Legion at the feast and sent me a report. This account is based on that report.

The Tournament

The festivities began with a tournament, presided over by Duke Etienne himself. Reportedly, these were some of the greatest warriors in the Olden Wyrld. Here is a list of the participants.

• Ulveblod of the Legion
• Xeno of the Legion
• Ryan
• Caio
• Lionheart
• Jayden Rannal of Chevalia
• Howl
• Gaston LaCroix, one of the Duke's retainers

The Duke split the combatants into two pools. They fought all others in the pool. The scenario was unusual - the Duke called it the Disks of Death. There were a series of disks placed into a helmet. Each combatant drew one of the disks. Upon each disk was a symbol representing a different weapon combination - sword and shield, great weapon, spear, or Florentine. The combatant had to use the selected weapon combination, although all combatants could also wield a dagger. The Duke explained that a great warrior should be able to win with whatever weapons he or she has at hand. This scenario tested that ability.

The Duke gave every combatant a bag. The Duke gave each winner a gem. This served as a way to keep score.

One of the bags filled with gems.
Below are the disks of death

Two combatants emerged undefeated from their respective pools - Howl and Ryan. They then faced off in a dagger duel. Ryan emerged victorious!

The Feast

We then sat down to our feast, prepared by Chef Pierre de Magnifique. Beef Bourguignon with French bread and garlic butter. 

There were drinks, including cider, and some raspberry cookies for dessert.

Disaster Strikes!

At this point, the Duke retired to the castle to check on things. But he rushed back in a panic.

"My royal nephews, sons of the king, have been kidnapped by raiders!" the Duke announced. "We must rescue them!"

* I will complete the story of our rescue attempt in the next installment. *

OOC NOTES

I played the role of the Duke and Chef Pierre. Robb played Gaston. Everyone else played their characters.

RJ (Jayden) took some nice videos of the fights. You can find them on our Facebook page. Here are links to the champion match.

• Part the First
• Part the Second

Note that we used our hit point system for the matches. Each participant started with 1 hit point and received an additional hit point if wearing garb.

Thanks to Howl for bringing drinks and cookies!

By the way, here is the recipe for the Beef Bourguignon.

The Invitation

Following the orc attacks, reinforcements arrive on the border. Preparations begin for an offensive against the orcs.

I, Comes Elias, commander of the Chimera Legion, attend a conference with the other legion commanders and the Strategos, the overall commander of the offensive. As he distributes assignments to the other legions, he asks me to stay behind.

Once the conference ends, he turns to me.

We have a special assignment for your legion. Most will remain as garrisons for the border towns.

I was aghast. Stay behind the lines? I wanted the Chimera Legion to have the opportunity to retaliate against the enemy that inflicted losses upon us.

I began to protest but the Strategos stopped me. He handed me this card.

"I don't understand," I asked, confused.

"This is your assignment. Take a company with you to Chevalia. Attend the feast. Speak to the Duke and enlist his aid in our war."

I selected a company of our finest solders and began the trek to Chevalia.

Burning Down the House

After defeating the demon and saving the Emperor, the Chimera Legion received a well-earned rest. But as autumn approaches, fell tidings arrive from the northern border. Raiders are sacking the frontier settlements. The Emperor sends the Legion to deal with the threat.

Note: As usual, I took a few artistic liberties when telling the story.

A Settlement Struck

The Legion sends detachments to some of the remaining settlements to defend against attack.

Not long after arriving, alarm bells ring out at the town of Drakovar. A swarm of hideous, monstrous creatures rush the settlement, clambering over the walls, and destroying everything in site.

One of the bestial creatures - a pig-faced orc!

Basilius is onsite with a detachment of legionaries. Accompanying the detachment is a scout named Jayden Rannal, recently hired to help locate the raiders.

Basilius forms a shield wall, which holds back the raiders. The legionaries then step forward, their sword stabbing and slashing, dropping orcs left and right. Meanwhile, Jayden shows off his archery skill, picking off the enemy in droves.

But there are just too many orcs. They hammer against the shield wall. Legionaries fall until there are gaps in the formation. The orcs surge through the gaps and into town.

Soon, it is an orgy of slaughter and arson. Panicked, the townsfolk flee through the southern gate. The remaining legionaries act as rearguard, protecting the survivors. The orcs are too busy stealing the town's crop of turnips to interfere.

Scout and Retrieve

The next day, a company led by Ulveblod arrives. He tracks the raiders into the wilds beyond the frontier. He catches up with a band of orcs, burdened by plunder from the town.

Ulveblod orders a charge. His men rush into the orc camp, hacking away at the enemy. In the heat of battle, Ulveblod is seriously wounded. His men falter. But then Ulveblod calls upon the power of the amulet awarded by the Emperor. This artifact instantly heals him.

Rejuvenated, Ulveblod leads a fresh attack. Victory looks imminent.

But then they hear the sound of a horn. An orc horn! Reinforcements are coming.

Ulveblod orders his men to grab sacks of the plunder, especially the prized turnips, and retreat back to Imperial territory. The orcs rally and pursue, but the Legion stands firm and drives them off.

After a harrowing journey, Ulveblod's company arrives at the nearest settlement, where refugees from the destroyed town huddle miserably. At least they will have some food to get them through the winter.

NOTES

As mentioned, I took some artistic liberties. We only had 4 players, so I exaggerated for dramatic sake.

We actually ran Ulveblod's scouting mission first. I scattered a bunch of spell balls around. Brett had to gather them while Robb and I, as orcs, tried to stop him. He managed to return all of them to safety. He did use an amulet he received for saving the Emperor. This allowed him to finish the job.

We played the attack on the settlement afterwards. RJ arrived, we sparred one-on-one with him a bit, then decided to do a 2v2 scenario. I came up with the settlement attack on the spot. It is essentially a ring the bell scenario for the orcs. Robb and RJ defended while Brett and I were orcs. We actually ran the scenario twice and the orcs won both time.

Once again I forgot to take pictures. Pity, Robb looked really good.

The Demon Strikes

Once we retrieved the Rod of Demon Slaying, we sailed back to the capital and then rushed to the palace.

The Field Falls

We arrive at the Emperor's chambers just in time. As we enter, we see the Emperor's priest, Brother Belisarius of Aubastia, holding the demon in a stasis field. Behind the priest, the Emperor lies unconscious on his bed. Suddenly, the field fell.

The Demon Attacks

Now that he is freed, the demon lunges at the priest. 

Our men charge, distracting the demon and allowing Belisarius to escape. The demon lashes out again and again, striking legionaries to the ground.

This last bit is a little poetic license. We did not have a full crew of legionaries.

Finally, Ulveblod enters the fray. He wields the Rod of Demon Slaying. 

The demon sneers at him and attacks. Its blows shatters his armor and gouges deep wounds into Ulveblod's flesh. Ulveblod staggers and nearly falls. But then Belisarius casts a heal upon the Rhuunese warrior. 

Rejuvenated, Ulveblod re-enters the fray. This time, he strikes the demon with the Rod. The monster bellowed in pain. Again, it unleashes a series of blows that staggers Ulveblod. But again Belisarius heals the warrior.

Enraged, the demon turns and attacks the priest. Belisarius edges away. This allows Ulveblod to come up behind the demon and strike again. More bellows of pain and rage!

The warrior and the demon charge each other. Trading powerful blows, each becomes weaker. But neither gives up the fight, until Ulveblod manages to sneak a powerful thrust into the demon's gut. The Rod glows and a blast of power smites the monster. It howls in pain as a holy fire consumes it. In a manner of seconds, it is gone!

With that, the Emperor is safe. He rewards the Legion, and especially Ulveblod for our efforts. Now we get a well deserved rest, at least until our next adventure.

Game Notes

We ended up with only 3 people for a finale. I played the demon while Robb played Belisarius the priest. Brett played his character, Ulveblod.

The game was essentially a mutual annihilation. A few times I thought I had Brett but Robb kept healing him. Well done, Brett and Robb!

We are now on hiatus until September. See you then!

Wresting the Rod from the Orcs

Now that we knew where the orcs were, we prepared for action and the Legion marched on their stronghold.

Parlay and Assault

Despite their attacks on us, I decided to give the orcs one more chance for negotiation. I sent a messenger forward under flag of truce to open discussions. But the orcs let loose their arrows. My messenger fell dead.

I took this as a declaration of war and called for an attack.

Gutavh used holy fire to blast open the gate, then he cast confusion on the orcs on the wall. We were able to rush in and cut the defenders down.

Note: I made up this part for narrative purposes. Due to lack of numbers, we did not get to play the assault.

The Shaman Makes a Stand

With Ulveblod, I led the first wave into the stronghold. We systematically searched for the Rod but did not find it until we reached the center of the orc's fort. There, we came across an orc shaman and his bodyguard. In his hands was the Rod.

We charged. I rushed the shaman.

The shaman threw blasts at me but I dodged. He webbed me then used the Rod to destroy my shield. Meanwhile Ulveblod met a bodyguard. The fight did not go well for him and he was forced to retreat. I found myself overwhelmed and I also withdrew.

Our Second Attempt

I received some healing from our priest and then I was back into the fray. This time, Xeno accompanied me. Again, I confronted the shaman. This time I pressed the attack so he could not use his magic. Meanwhile Xeno took the battle to the orcs. He flanked, took out a bodyguard, then attacked the shaman. Pressed from two sides, the shaman had no chance. Soon, Xeno cut down the orc and recovered the Rod. Success!

GAME NOTES

I had plans for a more epic battle, but lack of numbers made that unviable. We had to forego the castle assault. I just made up a story about how we broke into the fort.

We played the shaman's stand. Essentially, it was a one-sided kill the general scenario. The Legion needed to kill the orc shaman. The orcs just needed to defend their shaman.

Robb was the shaman; he had one bodyguard. Two legionaries attacked. I planned to allow multiple waves so that Ulveblod and Xeno had a chance to be attackers. Between waves, players could regain half of their lost hit points. Ulveblod and I lost the first wave but Xeno and I won the second. Xeno was the hero of the day with his speed that bedeviled the orcs.

Where Are the Orcs?

Previously, we learned from the oni that the Stone Claw orcs had acquired the Rod of Demon Slaying. We set sail for the shores of Scymatia, home of this tribe.

A Rude Welcome

We arrived at Scymatia and marched inland toward the stronghold of the Stone Claws. We were ambushed and repelled.

Note - this part is fiction for the purposes of setting up the story.

I decided to send out scouts to determine the location of the orc stronghold. I choose two able warriors and sent them to approach from different directions. Hopefully, at least one would make it through and find the enemy's lair.

Ulveblod's Tale

Ulveblod swung to the west and then headed into a forest. He was confronted by an orc archer. The orc let fly an arrow. Ulveblod dodged, then charged into the battle. The orc dropped his bow and pulled out a sword. The two warriors swung at each other. The clash of swords rang through the woods. Ulveblod proved too skilled, however, and soon he cut down his enemy.

No sooner was Ulveblod victorious than he heard the crash of someone running through the brush. He turned and spotted another orc heading towards him.  Ulveblod charged, slashing at the orc and then running past it. His blow wounded the orc, preventing it from pursuing.

Freed from pursuit, Ulveblod sped through the forest until he found a path. Cautiously following it, he reached a point where he could observe a fort, Orcs patrolled the ramparts. 

This had to be what the Legion was looking for. With that, Ulveblod turned for home.

Diamond's Tale

Diamond headed to the east and slipped by the forward defenses. Then, he was confronted by an orc warrior. This started a running battle that moved steadily north. Diamond's skill proved too much, however, and he ultimately cut down his foe. 

Then Diamond swung west, fighting and dodging other orcs who joined the fray. He overshot the stronghold. When he noticed that the orcs were not pursuing, he turned back. That's when he spotted the path that led to the stronghold. Diamond then rushed back to camp.

However, an orc pursued him. Diamond stopped and engaged. Soon, this orc also fell to Diamond's blade. The scout could then return safely.

What's Next

Now that we know where we are going, I shall plan an advance in force. We are ready to fight for the Rod.

GAME NOTES

Essentially, I ran this like Ring the Bell but with some twists.

• With limited numbers, I ran this as a 2 vs. 1 scenario. The Legion had a single scout against multiple orcs.
• Only the Legion scout can win by "ringing the bell." The orcs are merely defending.
• The scout has 1 life with hit points based on his character while the orcs have unlimited lives with 2 hit points each.
• After "ringing the bell" (which represents finding the enemy stronghold), the scout has to return to base to win,

O(ni) No!

After our previous defeat, the Chimera Legion prepared for a second assault against the oni.

This time, we had Brother Gustavh bless us with powerful divine magic. These blessings should protect us against the oni's magic.

The First Wave

I, Comes Elias, led the first wave into the oni's cave. The blessing was somewhat effective - the oni's freeze spell only slowed us down. Yet that was enough for it to wreak havoc on the company.

The oni used its speed to dash in and out amongst my men. It struck with spells and with a massive club. Legionaries fell or were forced to flee from the cave. We managed to get in a few telling hits, but ultimately the oni's power defeated us. The remnants of our company retreated.

Reserves to the Rescue

Ulveblod commanded the reserve. As we retreated, he led his men in a berserk charge. They chased the oni around the cave, preventing it from getting off a spell. The oni managed to dodge most attacks, but here and there, Legion blades slashed into the demon. Ultimately, it collapsed to its knees.

Ulveblod Commands the Oni

With the oni powerless, Ulveblod laid his blade on its neck and demanded the Rod of Demon Slaying. Cowed by this powerful warrior, the oni pleaded for its life. At first Ulveblod would only promise a quick end. When the oni refused to talk, Ulveblod changed tactics. He would allow the oni to flee from the region, if it told us where the Rod was.

And thus, Ulveblod extracted the tale. The oni traded the Rod to a band of orcs from Scymatia in exchange for some prisoners. We will not relate the horrid fate of those unfortunates.

So now we seek the Stone Claw orcs (for such was their name) on the shores of Scymatia.

GAME NOTES

We ended up with only two people so the battle was simply a straight up fight between us. I played the oni and Brett was Ulveblod. As the oni, I had magic as well as a great weapon.

The part about the first wave is pure fiction. I came up with it to set the stage. Figuring that an oni vs. a lone warrior was not an even match, I downgraded the oni a bit. I explained this by imagining that a prior wave of attackers had worn the oni down a bit.

Brett won by keeping the pressure on me. He chased me relentlessly, preventing me from getting off any spells. He then would get in a strike here and there. I hit him a couple of times, but was too busy trying to recite the spell incantation to mount any effective attacks. Ultimately, Brett wore me down and took me out.

Kudos to Brett for some nice roleplaying at the end, as he interrogated the oni!

For kicks, we reran the scenario with roles reversed. I took a different approach. I advanced on the oni cautiously, dodging spell balls and then dashing in to strike. This tactic also worked, and I won my bout as well.

The Oni

Tracking Sodai

Previously, we learned that an adventurer named Sodai had made off with the Rod of Demon Slaying. With a name like that, he had to be from Teikoku. We returned to our ship and headed off.

It was a difficult journey to Teikoku, but our troubles had just begun. We then had to deal with a suspicious populace, recalcitrant officials, and a language barrier. Nevertheless, we tracked Sodai to an isolated cave. On our way, the locals kept mentioning an oni, whatever that is.

Entering the Oni's Cave

We arrived at the cave and I sent in my first company. After they entered, I heard screams of horror and pain. Then most of the company came rushing out of the cave. Others were forcibly tossed out.

They told a tale of a horrific demon.

This demon used powerful magic to melt their weapons, instill fear, and even knock them about.

Apparently, physical attacks would not work.

Note: All the above is made up backstory to explain why we did not fight. In reality, I had an injury that prevented me from engaging in physical combat.

Confronting the Oni

Next, I sent in one of our priests, Gustavh, to scout out the situation and test the oni's magical abilities.

Gustavh entered the cave. The oni confronted him. Gustavh demanded to know what happened to Sodai. 

The oni pointed to bones strewn around the cave. "He is here somewhere."

Gustavh then demanded the Rod of Demon Slaying. The oni laughed at him, then spoke.

"I admire your courage, puny mortal. I could crush you like a bug, but I have a more entertaining idea. Let us have a contest, in 3 rounds. If you win 2 out of the 3, I shall reward you."

"And if I lose?" Gustavh asked.

"Then you die."

Bravely, Gustavh accepted the challenge.

The Contest

The first round of the contest was a knife-throwing challenge, using each other as targets.

• Gustavh scored 3 hits on the oni.
• The oni also scored three hits.
• Going into a sudden death tie-breaker, Gustavh missed!
• And the oni hit. The oni won the first round.

The second round was an archery contest - 5 shots at a shield about 20 paces away.

• The oni scored 2 hits.
• Gustavh then missed his first 3 shots.
• Needing a hit to stay in the game, Gustavh's shot whizzed just past the oni's ear! The oni wins again!

Gustavh stoically admitted defeat and accepted his fate. But the oni was not done with him yet.

"That was enjoyable, mortal," the oni said. "I would very much like to try the last challenge, so I'll tell you what. If you win this next challenge, I will spare your life."

Mystical Mayhem

The oni challenged Gustavh to a magic duel.

"In my cave," the oni explained, "my mystical power is unlimited. But for our contest, I will limit myself to a mortal's level."

With that, the battle began in earnest. The last one standing would win!

The oni led off with a fiery blast, but Gustavh dodged. The priest replied with a bolt that wounded the oni.

Next, the oni used a web spell to hold Gustavh in place. It followed with another blast, but missed again! Meanwhile, Gustavh replied with more bolts and blasts that struck and seared his enemy.

Finally, the oni got his aim. His blast struck Gustavh. Flames licked over the priest, but he shook off the burns. His next bolt flew straight and true, striking the oni in the chest.

With that, the oni fell to its knees.

"Enough, mortal. You win. You have saved your life. Now go!"

Aftermath

Gustavh left the cave, returning to our company. He reported his findings to me.

The Rod must be in the cave, but how do we get past the oni? That is the dilemma we must solve.

GAME NOTES

As I mentioned above, I was nursing an injury so I could not engage in physical combat. I decided to turn the confrontation into a 3-part contest.

Throughout the game, I played the oni and Robb was Gustavh.

I believe I recorded the results of the first two contests accurately. Also, I wanted to do the magic duel so I made the proposal that Gustavh could save his life by winning it.

I don't remember all the specifics about the magic duel, so I used some artistic license. Nevertheless, I feel I got the general scene down. I definitely remember webbing Robb and then missing with a blast! My aim was horrible throughout! Ultimately, Robb wore me down and won, saving Gustavh.