The Final Battle

This is it, the final battle for the fate of the Empire. The Dark Alliance gathers their hordes and descends upon the Imperial capital. If they win, the Empire is doomed.

The Emperor has assigned us, the Chimera Legion, the honor of meeting the onslaught. Fortunately, we have gathered important resources from our earlier victories. 

• The villagers of Palmyra provided us bandages. 
• The dryads provided crucial intelligence on the enemy forces. 
• We previously reduced the enemy numbers by defeating the duergar.
• And our morale was high due to Howl's tournament victory.

I split the Legion into two wings. I led half that defended the northwestern approaches. The other half, under Jayden Rannal, protected the northeast.

The Northwestern Wing

My force included great warriors, like Bloodrose, Sprouts, Howl, Jesper, and Lionhart. We were ready for the enemy horde.

We saw them approaching us down the road from the west - a wave of red cap goblins and  Anubai, led by the dark elves. As they drew near, their archers let loose with a volley. Our shields protected us from the arrow storm.

Although numerous, they were scattered and ill-disciplined. I saw the opportunity to break them.

"Charge!" I commanded.

We rushed forward, smashing into the enemy. They buckled. The dark elves hit us with spells, breaking our shields and webbing us to a halt. Yet with heavy armor, I was able to push forward. Howl supported us with missiles while Lionhart and Jesper  flanked. The enemy could not resist us. They broke and fled back to their camp.

We pursued. The dark elves managed to rally their forces. I formed a shield wall with Bloodrose and Sprouts and we crashed into their line. The rest of our force rolled up their flanks. They could not withstand us; we swept them from the field.

The Northeastern Wing

This is a report from Jayden, who commanded this wing. This force also included Beans, Wren, Celer, Chris, and Louis.

While the Legion seized victory in the West, a battle raged in the East. The second section met the Dark Alliance forces in a clearing of the Eastern woods. The Dark Elf commander was strong in support magic. He strengthened his forces as well as himself before blades met. The Legion advanced cautiously, using offensive magic to wear down the massive shield the Dark Elf brought to the field, but it was not enough. The command was given for the Legion to charge the center and divide their forces. With the Dark commander separated from his forces, the legionaries slayed the red caps and Anubai. Their numbers thinned, the Legion encircled  the remaining forces. The field was theirs! The Dark Alliance retreated to their camp.

After using healing magic, the Legion pressed on. At the Dark Alliance camp, the Dark Elf commander recuperated himself and his forces and dug in for a defensive fight. The legion advanced. As the enemy came to meet them throwing twisted and blood stained blades and stone through the air, the Legion came back to back. Trying a new tactic, the Dark Elf commander tried to encircle the legionaries, but their numbers spread too thin, and the imperial warriors repelled and expanded, clamping the enemy in a crushing jaw of shaft and steel. At each turn the enemy took to face the legionaries, arrows would fly from their flank and strike true. The Legion's archer,  Beans, drew back her string and loosed each arrow with her honed skill. One by one they fell, each shot frustrating the enemy more. By the end, all the Legion stood, and none of the Alliance remained. The battle was over, the war won, and the Empire saved. Huzzah!

GAME NOTES

• In reality, the Empire outnumbered the enemy in the first part (NW) 6 players to 5. I describe the enemy as  hordes for dramatic purposes.
• The legionaries had their full array of hit points and special abilities. In addition, we got buffs based on previous victories during the war.
• 6 bandages capable of restoring limbs,  from saving the villagers
• Know what the enemy hit points are, from saving the Dryads
• 1 reduction of enemy respawn, from capturing the forts
• +1 HP from tournament victory
• The enemy included
• A dark elf leader had a full bag of spell balls plus 3 hp
• Red cap goblins with 1 hit point
• Anubai with 2 hit points
• One buff - the Amulet of Inara, which can restore a life by sacrificing a limb. The pirates captured this from Fort Rogers
• Basically, the scenario involved a series of mutual annihilation games for control of 3 checkpoints.
• The first battle was for the middle checkpoint.
• The winner then advanced to the enemy's camp.
• Victory in the enemy's camp secured victory in that wing.
• In both cases, the Legion was 2-0 on both wings, for a resounding victory.
• Thank you to all who participated this season. It was a blast.
• Special thanks to
• our departing comrades - Celer, Wren, Beans, and Louis
• our Battle Master for this season, Jayden, who crafted all these scenarios

The King Is Dead!

Our conflict with Sir Guy has escalated into a full-blown international conflict. Meanwhile, the Dark Alliance continues to grow in strength.

To alleviate the tensions, the King of Chevalia and the Emperor of Aurelia agreed to meet and discuss the situation. The King sailed to the Empire's western coast, across the gulf from Nevora. From there, he planned to proceed overland to the capital.

The Legion's Duty

The Chimera Legion was been tasked with protecting the king. One company would escort him from the coast to Fort Nero, an outpost in the center of the Aurelian peninsula. Then the second company would take over and escort him the rest of the way.

To Fort Nero

Per reports I received, this is what happened to First Company, under command of Celer.

First Company met the king at port. Then they began the arduous journey overland. Shortly after embarking, a gang of bandits, likely part of the Dark Alliance, attacked. They swarmed the company, trying to break through and reach the king.

Celer ordered the company to push forward, breaking through the pack of marauders.

The bandits pursued. The legionaries countered, hacking their way through. Despite the casualties, the bandits kept coming. And they slowly whittled the legion down.

Finally, an arrow struck the king, knocking him to the ground. A bandit broke through the lines, and hacked at the king with his glaive.

The remnants of the First Company managed to hold off the rest of the bandits. One of the maesters set off a flare calling for help. Shortly thereafter, they heard horns in the distance. Reinforcements from Fort Nero! The king was rescued.

To the Capital

This report comes from Jayden Rannal.

Second Company, under command of Lionhart, waited at the Fort for the arrival of the King, but grew nervous as the sun lowered in the sky with no sign of the King. Suddenly, a magic flare shot up to the clouds. Blue and red...the signal for help and that the King was wounded. Without delay, the legionaries departed from the fort toward the location of the flare. When they arrived, they found the first half of the legion fighting off bandits while the King leaned on a nearby tree. The Second Company took the King under its protection while First Company held off the bandits.

Immediately Second Company began to push forward to the fort. Unfortunately, some bandits found their way around the fort and met them before their swords could even be drawn. Though the legionaries tried their best to stay at the King's side, the bandits were clearly better trained than most. They broke the Legion's formation. The King attempted a rapid advance, but the bandits knew the lands and headed them off using a hidden pass.

Two bandits flanked the King. Two blows came at once and met flesh as the King fell to his knees. The legionaries managed to fight them off, but it was too late. Just two mere miles from the walls of the Capitol, the King drew his last breath. The King's last words left his lips like bits of his soul leaving our world, "Forgive me my Son. I failed. But at least now I come to meet you in death." 

Aftermath

The Legion brought his body to the palace and presented him to an enraged Emperor. But as they set him down, a note fell from his robes. 

It read thus:

What I do, I do as a father, not as a King. My family's honor demands blood for blood. As my Son's blood was spilled by the Empire, so shall the Emperor's blood be spilt by this cursed dagger. This be done by my hand, not the hand of Chevalia. And so too shall the dagger take my life, so let it be done and no further. 

Without a doubt, Chevalia will contest the letters authenticity, but it may be enough to prevent war. One thing is certain, we face the coming battle alone...

GAME NOTES

• Thanks to Jayden for the narrative of the second stage of the battle.
• This was an escort mission, which we broke into two stages.
• Stage 1
• I played the king. I was accompanied by Celer, Wren, Chris, Kisha, and Ky Lara.
• We were close to Fort Nero when I went down, due to Beans's archery and Louis's glaive.
• Stage 2
• The Legion had to rescue the king first. We explained this as reinforcements from Fort Nero.
• RJ was the king. Lionhart, Beans, Sprouts, Killjoy, Arya, and Louis joined him.
• The Legion failed both stages, which will hurt us in the final, climatic battle.

Sir Guy's Vendetta

From the Diary of Comes Elias Artocopus

The Third Day of the Third Month

I have received another report from Centarch Howl.

Sir Guy, whom Howl defeated for the tournament championship, received a warrant for Howl's arrest from the King of Chevalia. The charge is witchcraft - specifically using a magically enchanted weapon during the tournament.

Howl and the other legionaries who participated in the tournament were marching to the coast, where they would take a ship back to the Empire. Sir Guy, with warrant in hand, managed to steal a march on them. On an isolated stretch of road, Guy and his retinue blocked the legionaries' path.

"Howl!" Sir Guy cried out. I have a warrant for your arrest on the charge of witchcraft. You will drop your weapons and come peaceably to stand trial!"

Naturally, Howl declined this invitation.

With his refusal, Sir Guy called his troops to charge!

Howl and the legionaries prepared to defend themselves. What followed was a bloody scrum. Both sides hacked and slashed with a fury. It seemed that whenever the combatants fell, they managed to pick themselves up and return to the fray.

Howl took some wounds, but his troops rallied to protect him. By this time, Guy was bloodied, and frustrated that he could not get at Howl. Guy challenged Howl to a one-on-one duel but the legionaries refused to let Howl fight alone.

Ultimately, Guy took a hard knock. Down he went.

A battered Sir Guy

With that, his minions fled. The Legion could continue its journey from Chevalia.

Aftermath

I do not know what this altercation bodes for the relations between Chevalia and the Empire. I fear that it will lead to bloodshed. Nevertheless, the Legion will never fail to protect its own.

GAME NOTES

• This was an impromptu scenario I devised, feeding off the results of the tournament. Our joke about his new, super-light great weapon is now official lore!
• The scenario was essentially Kill the King. Howl and I were "kings," each with 3 lives. Our comrades had infinite spawns, using their "king" as the spawn point.

The Championship in Chevalia

From the Diary of Comes Elias

23rd Day of the First Month

Even though we successfully reclaimed the dwarven strongholds from the Duergar, we still face doubts from our Chevalian allies. The King of Chevalia scoffed at our abilities. The Emperor retorted with assurance of our quality. This ultimately led to a challenge from the King. As a result, the Legion is sending its best soldiers to participate in the Thorned Rose Tournament. We shall see who is superior - the legionaries of the Empire or the knights of Chevalia.

I, Comes Elias, have been temporarily recalled to the capital to confer on strategy. In addition, Jayden cannot attend due to some familial entanglements. I leave Howl in command of the detachment sent to Chevalia. I have every confidence in the abilities of our representatives.

14th Day of the Second Month

I received word from Howl.

The Legion received a rude welcome from the knights of Chevalia. They mocked us, laughing at our defeat at the hands of the pirates. They dismissed our victory over the Duergar, saying that there was no honor in defeating half-sized men.

We did quite well at the tournament. Lionheart and Chris tied for third with a Chevalian knight. There was one knight, Chevalier Guy de Loimbard, who was particularly obnoxious. 

The perfidious Chevalier Guy

Guy defeated a number of our legionaries. Then Bentley humbled him.

This Guy was not humble for long. His victories saw him in second place behind an undefeated Howl. Then the two met with the championship on the line. If Guy won, he would have the same number of wins as Howl and become champion on the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Howl rose to the occasion, taking out Guy's leg and then finishing him off. His victory secured the tournament championship and restored the Legion's honor. As a result, I have recommended Howl for the Order of the Eagle.

15th Day of the Second Month

I have received word that Chevalier Guy and the King of Chevalia have protested the tournament results. They claim that Howl used an enchanted sword, which is a crime equivalent to witchcraft in Chevalia tournament customes. Once again, our honor is questioned.

I do not know the ramifications of these accusations. I fear that our alliance with Chevalia may be shaky.

OOC GAME NOTES

• Comes Elias was not at the tournament because I played Guy. Jayden and Louis also played Chevalian knights. Howl, Lionheart, Chris, Wren, and Bentley represented the Legion.
• The Howl-Guy bout actually occurred in the middle of the tournament. I recounted it last for dramatic purposes. The stakes are accurate - if Guy had won, he would have won the tournament.
• Howl had a new weapon today - a great weapon with a carbon fiber core. Super light! This is the basis for the accusation of witchcraft.

Defeating the Duergar

No rest for us, even in the wake of a devastating pirate attack. We received word from High Command that we were needed in the Dwarven Mountains. The duergar joined the Dark Alliance and had seized a couple of dwarven strongholds. Our mission - oust the duergar and reclaim the strongholds for the dwarves.

Fort Ken'vi

The first of the strongholds was called Ken'vi.

The gate

I led the first century. Celer, Bentley, and a new legionary named Nathan were with me. Nathan and I went straight for the gate. Bentley covered us with archery while Celer skirmished on the flank.

At first, the attack went well. We pushed through the enemy, reached the gate, and began raising the portcullis. Then the duergar surprised us. They rushed from the stronghold, ran past us, and assaulted our camp.

We fell back but were not in time. They scattered our healing totem, leaving us vulnerable. Still, we were not ready to quit. We advanced on the gate. The duergar buzzed around us like flies. We struck down many, but they kept coming. Meanwhile, their attacks whittled us down.

I reached the gate again, but was beset by the enemy. I sustained many wounds and had to retire. The rest of the century joined me. Our attack failed.

Fort Nar'dall

Meanwhile, the second century assaulted the other stronghold, Fort Nar'dall.

Jayden led this century, with Sprouts, Wren, Lionhart, and Chris. The duergar tried the same trick - flanking them and destroying their camp. This time, however, the Legion was prepared. They were able to hold off the the raiders while still advancing on the gates.

Soon, the Legion had opened the gate. They pressed into the stronghold and cleared out the remaining duergar. Nar'dall was ours!

Fort Ken'vi again

The victorious second century joined us at Ken'vi and we planned another assault on the duergar. Hampered by wounds, I stayed behind, leaving leadership to Celer.

Celer followed the same strategy that worked at Nar'dall - protect the camp and send the rest of the Legion forward against the gates. Again, the duergar harassed the Legion mercilessly. But Celer's century held them off, drove forward to the gate, and pried it open.

Soon, legionaries streamed into the stronghold. The Legion's blood was up; they cut down the foe wherever they found them. Finally, Ken'vi was in our hands!

It took some effort, but a successful mission for the Legion!

GAME NOTES

• Welcome to new player Nathan!
• Congratulations to Sprouts, who was awarded the Order of the Eagle for her efforts against Nar'dall and the second assault on Ken'vi.
• Sorry, I don't remember who else was on the Legion side during the second attack on Ken'vi.
• The game was essentially mutual annihilation. Both sides had unlimited lives until their respawn point fell. For the Legion, it was our camp - represented by the Flame of Justice (my torch). For the duergar, it was when the Legion raised the stronghold's gate.

The actual gate. The tarp rolls up like a portcullis.

• In the first run, the Legion was outnumbered 5-4. I think that made a difference as we did not have the numbers to attack the gate and protect our camp. The Legion had a 5-4 advantage in the second battle. We decided to try a third time with even numbers. I sat out. The Legion succeeded, which I report as the second assault on Ken'vi.

The Legion gathers

Pirate Attack

"Back to the ships!" I, Comes Elias, commanded once we returned to the coast of Palmyra. "Now we are needed in Nevora."

We were ordered to man the defenses at Fort Rodgers on the Nevoran coast. The fort protected a precious artifact - the Amulet of Inara. Pirates in the service of the Dark Alliance had designs upon the amulet.

A Rough Passage

The Legion crossed from Palmyra to Nevora in two ships - an Imperial galley and Sol'rithen's ship. On the way, we got caught in a storm. The galley, my flagship, managed to plow through the waves and make it safely to Nevora. Sol'rithen's ship was blown off course.

Thus, we were shorthanded when the battle began.

The Initial Attack

The remnant of the Legion that made it took up positions in the fort. We had two powerful ballistas to drive off the enemy ships.

The pirates hove into view. We could see from their flag that they were the notorious Silver Swords. We knew we had a tough fight on hand.

Suddenly, gouts of flame issued from the ships. They were using one of the latest infernal weapons, bombards!

We responded with our ballistas. We managed to sink a few pirate galleons. But their bombards struck back, blowing up one of the ballistas.

The Pirate Assault

Suddenly, the bombardment ended. The Silver Swords must have run out of ammunition. Instead, they decided to rely upon their namesake - their silver swords. The pirates launched boats and rowed to shore.

The Legion put up a brave resistance, but sheer numbers proved decisive. The Silver Swords smashed through the fort's gates, rushed the second ballista, and cut down the crew.

The Final Stand

With the pirates in the fort, I had no choice but to order the Legion to retire to the keep.

The Silver Swords used more infernal bombs to blow open the keep's gate and rushed in. We had our hands full just defending ourselves. This allowed the pirates to hold us off while others searched the castle for the amulet. The found and seized it, then rushed back to their ships. 

Unfortunately, I must report that the amulet is now in the hands of the Dark Alliance. We await further orders.

OOC GAME NOTES

Due to the end of the school term, our numbers were light. We only had five participants (Elias, Jayden, Howl, Sprouts, and newcomer Usa). I use the story of the storm to explain the missing legionaries. Don't worry, they will make it back to the Legion.

The scenario was essentially a mix of ring the bell and capture the flag. The Legion had to drive off the pirates by sinking their ships.

Here are the actual ships (each about 3 feet high).

We could sink them with bow and arrows (acting as ballistas). Usa, Sprouts, and I defended first. I don't remember if we sank anything.

Howl and Jayden were pirates in the first round. They would win by seizing the amulet, hidden in a tower (a bucket). They could destroy a ballista by either hitting it with cannon fire from a ship or by assaulting it. We used spell balls as cannon balls. An assault essentially worked like ring the bell - we used more buckets to represent the bastion. Ring it to destroy the ballista in the bastion, although one of the 2 bastions was indestructible.

Howl and Jayden quickly managed to find and seize the amulet. We switched sides and the pirates won handily again.

We had fun so we tried to scenario a few more times, tweaking the rules as we went. We ditched the amulet and just played an annihilation scenario - destroy the ships or the ballistas to win. Later, we moved the ships closer to the ballistas, which resulted in more sunken ships. Note that I switched events around in my narrative - essentially the initial attack in the narrative represents the later run-throughs.

The scenario was designed for more people and probably would have worked better if we had a full 10-12 people. But we adapted.

In hindsight, I think we could have split this into multiple scenarios.

1. The initial attack by the pirates - the Legion needs to destroy the ships and the pirates need to eliminate the ballistas. This could represent the pirates breaking into the fort.
2. Search for the amulet - have 4 or more buckets on the field. The pirates need to find the amulet and escape with it. I would give each side a life count. The Legion would need to wipe out the pirates before they steal off with the amulet.

Regardless, I had fun with the scenario. I especially enjoyed playing artillerist and shooting (throwing) the cannon balls.

Thanks RJ for putting this together. The pirate ships were fantastic!

Peril in Palmyra

Reading the missive, I let out a sigh of frustration.

“What is it?” Centarch Ulveblod asked.

“Now they’re sending us to Palmyra.” Palmyra, only a couple thousand miles away.

Here is the letter I received.

The Voyage
Immediately, we set off, marching through the forest and occasionally fighting off marauders. We marched with minimal rest until we reached the city of Rivoltus on the coast.

Here we secured passage on a ship captained by a seafarer named Soulrithen. We also took aboard Pontifex Marcellus and the Eyes of Pandora, two powerful artifacts that we need in our quest. Marcellus used his powers to conjure up a wind that sped us on our journey.

Arriving in Palmyra, we met with another priest, Pater Tiberius. He agreed to assist us with our mission.
We then sailed down the Kemi River to the town of Panria. Here, we expected to meet our next foe.

The Anubai
The Anubai, jackal-like humanoids, had joined the Dark Alliance and plotted to invade Palmyra from the desert wastes. We learned that they planned to cross the Kemi at the town of Panria, whose bridges were the only crossing for hundreds of miles.

Our Mission

We had two missions to complete:

• Assist settlers on the far bank to make it across the river before the Anubai slaughtered them
• Most importantly, assist Pontifex Marcellus and Pater Tiberius in placing the Eyes of Pandora on the bridges and activating them. Activating both will create a powerful storm that will shield Palmyra from the Anubai.

I split the Legion into two forces, each covering one of the two bridges.

First Century

The first century (company) went to the north bridge. This company, led by Howl and including Lionheart, Izzy, and Chris, were tasked with protecting Pontifex Marcellus.

The Anubai reached the bridge first. They poured across, overrunning the settlers struggling to get across the bridge. The settlers either dove into the water or were cut down.

Then the Anubai reached the east end of the bridge. The century charged, smashing into the Anubai. A vicious melee ensued. Hacking and slashing, our legionaries cut through the hordes of the enemy. Marcellus bombarded the enemy with bolt spells. Our losses mounted but the enemy seemed to keep coming.

Suddenly, our troops broke through, pushing the Anubai back across the bridge. Pontifex Marcellus reached the center. Placing one of the Eyes of Pandora, he began chanting an praying. The Eye activated.

The rest of the century rescued a wagon train that had been abandoned in the middle of the bridge. It was laden with food for the hungry refugees.

Second Century

Meanwhile, the second century quick-marched to the south bridge. A similar scene awaited them – panicked settlers fleeing from the horde of Anubai.

Pater Tiberius blessed the legionaries, giving them some protection from harm. The century, led by Celer with Wren and Soulrithen, then joined the battle.

Again, it came down to a vicious melee, but the Anubai seemed more numerous on this bridge.

Celer reached a wagon and tried to make off with it. It got damaged, but he still managed to drag it across the bridge.

Tiberius cast Shadow Walk on himself, then confidently strode among the Anubai, whistling as he went. Confused, the Anubai lashed out but could not strike him. Then, they began to ignore him. Tiberius took this opportunity to strike a few down from behind. Then, reaching the center of the bridge, he placed the Eye and began the incantation, The Anubai did not notice him, and the Eye activated.

The End of the Anubai

Suddenly, there was a loud crashing sound. The river itself reared up in a gigantic wave. It crashed upon the western shore, sweeping away the Anubai reserves. Pandemonium reigned on the bridges – the Anubai fleeing in fear and the legionaries retreating with alacrity.

In a matter of minutes, it was all over. The waves tore away the bridges and surged into the town of Panria. The townsfolk and the Legion retreated east, safe from the waters and the Anubai.

Meanwhile, the river shined with magical power, keeping the remaining Anubai at bay. The Legion was victorious, saving Palmyra.

Commendation

The entire Legion fought well. I consulted with the officers, and we decided that Wren deserves the Order of the Eagle for this battle. Her glaive work cleared out space, allowing the Legion to advance.

OOC NOTES

Above is an in-character account of our November 8 lore battle. As usual, I embellish in places.

RJ played Marcellus and I played Tiberius. We welcomed Steve aka Soulrithen and Izzy to our ranks. I hope they enjoyed themselves.

I was too engrossed in the battle, so I did not catch what other people did. Feel free to post in the comments about your contributions or the contributions of others.

Essentially, this was a bridge battle with a heavy object objective. We used my hand cart as the wagon. It started in the middle of the bridge – the Legion needed to rescue it. Meanwhile, the priest had to reach the middle, place the Eye, and recite an incantation.

The Legion had 3 lives. We used a bucket as a marker. Essentially, it was a Well of Life – sort of doing the work of a Maester.

The Anubai had 2 hp and a howl ability that froze an enemy. The Anubai leader had 4 hp and spells.

As Tiberius, I kind of cheated. I went to the middle of the bridge using Shadow Walk. Then, when the Anubai passed, I quietly began the incantation. While I was doing this, the Anubai kept running past me. They did not know I was out of Shadow Walk. Currently, there is no rule saying you have to state you are out of Shadow Walk (which differs than Amtgard). We did this on purpose to allow people to make sneak attacks out of Shadow Walk. I probably should have been incanting loud so people would know that I was visible. Next time we’ll make that a rule. Sorry for being a cheating bastard. 😉

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the battle. Thanks, RJ, for creating the scenario.

Rescuing the Dryad Lord

My Lord Commander of the Imperial Army,

I am pleased to announce that our mission has been a success. We have rescued the Dryad Lord and have "him" in our protection now.

The First Rescue

I personally led the First Company into the western woods. We could see satyrs skulking about. We tried to reason with them and asked them to bring us to their leader. They responded by attacking us.

We fought off their attack and pushed deeper into the forest. At one point the trail split. There seemed to be more satyrs to the right, so we went in that direction. When we did, we got swarmed from front and rear. Fortunately, our troops fought like heroes, staving off the attacks and steadily pushing forward. We had the benefit of some healing potions as well.

Then I heard a commotion in our rear. There was the Satyr Lord! 

The Satyr Lord

We turned and fought our way back. Once we approached, the Satyr Lord called off his warriors.

We then negotiated with him. We had to answer a riddle before he would relent. Fortunately, Centarch Howl answered it. The Satyr Lord agreed to let us pass. He warned us that some satyrs would still fight us despite his orders.

We then pushed on into the woods. More satyrs joined the fray. In the distance, I could see the Dryad Lord. Suddenly, the fight seemed to veer to one side, and my path to our objective lay open. I rushed over, freed the Dryad Lord, and led him to safety. All the while, First Company protected my back.

The Interrogation

This part is pure fiction intended to tie the two rescues together

After arriving at camp, I interrogated the Dryad Lord about the machinations of the Dark Alliance. He knew some information but seemed ignorant of other facets.

“Are you holding back on us?” I asked him. “Imperial High Command said you knew that.”

“Oh,” the Dryad Lord replied, “my twin would know that.”

“Twin?” I asked.

“Yes, my twin. Most people don’t know I have a twin. They think we are the same person.”

Great. I wasn’t ready for this twist.

The Second Rescue

I sent out scouts, who reported sightings of the Dryad Lord, presumably the twin, in the eastern woods.

I sent Second Company, under the command of Centarch Ulveblod to look for him.

Ulveblod split his company into two parts, encircling the satyrs. Battle erupted on the company’s left flank. Our troops held off the attacks, and steadily advanced deeper into the woods.

They spotted a Satyr Lord. Not the same as before, a different one. We believe that there are two (possibly more?) – one of the West Woods and one of the East Woods. Celer rushed forward and brought this Satyr Lord to heel. At this point, the Satyr Lord offered to negotiate.

Thus Satyr Lord was a silly one, laughing and calling the legionaries funny. This seemed to irritate Ulveblod, who asked rather provocatively if the Satyr Lord thought the Legion was a joke. The Satyr Lord did not take kindly to this. He demanded a gift. Then Ulveblod offered him a ship. This amused the Satyr Lord to no end, and he readily agreed!

So now the Empire is committed to sending a ship into the deep woods. I have no idea how we’ll accomplish this, but I will confer with the Engineers.

Anyway, the Satyr Lord proposed a game – could the Legion rescue the Dryad Lord? Ulveblod and his company fought their way through more satyrs. Celer reached the Dryad Lord and proceeded to lead him out of the woods. Game over. Victory!

As noted, we now have secured the Dryad Lord(s). We await further orders.

GAME NOTES

This is an account of our lore battle from October 11.

As usual, this is my version, based on my best recollection of events. If you have corrections, or additions, please add a comment to this post. You can also post in our Discord and I will transcribe here.

RJ, our battle master for this season, played the Satyr Lord and Dryad Lord in the first run-through. Then we switched teams and did it again, this time with me in the main NPC roles.

• Note: I created the Satyr Lord image in Chat GPT using the picture of RJ from this post.

Satyrs had 1 hp, although I bumped that up to 2 hp the second time. I also gave Bentley a charm spell. The Satyr Lord counted as a mystic and had 6 hp. Fortunately, the Legion never had to fight the Satyr Lord.

We had a good crowd – 11 people! In addition to our regulars (me, Ulveblod, Howl, Jayden, Celer, Lionheart, Chris, Bentley, Wren), two new players from Amtgard joined us – Diego and Neeth.

The Satyr Lord's Storm

I, Comes Elias of the Chimera Legion, have received two communications.

Report from Our Scout Jayden

Jayden reports that the dark elves have given up hopes of opening the World Portal. Instead, they have turned their sights on our world and wish to conquer it.

Because their numbers are few, the dark elves have called upon every dark and wretched creature in our lands - goblins, trolls, gargoyles, minotaurs, basilisks, and all manner of tormented beings.

Jayden also reports that the King of Chevalia has been affected by the loss of his son and is now in an unpredictable state of mind. He could use his power to put the Legion in danger.

Orders from the Emperor

The Emperor has ordered us to rescue the Dryad Lord, held in the satyr controlled forest of Rhuunheim.

In addition, we need to negotiate with Satyr Lord to prevent him allying with the Dark Alliance.

Notes about the satyrs:

• They're cunning and hedonistic
• They're carefree and indulgent, which tends to get them into troublesome situations
• They favor humorous fair play, clever comments, and tend not to take anything as serious as it should be taken
• They don't take kindly to direct insults
• Do not underestimate them in combat
• They are prone to random emotional outbursts so do not overreact to their comments
• They enjoy offerings and gifts
• They dislike serious talk.

Report from the Front

This is my initial report to High Command.

My Lord Commander of the Imperial Army,

We have received the order to negotiate with the Satyr Lord and to rescue the Dryad Lord. To complete our mission, we have marched into the heart of the satyrs' forest. Yet we have not yet made contact with either satyrs or dryads.

Our march was interrupted by a terrible storm. With the muddy conditions, we were not able to continue our march. We hunkered down and waited for the storm to pass.

I have spoken with our Legion chaplain. He says that satyrs have magical powers. Most can charm enemies, and powerful satyr lords can even control the weather. Thus, it seems likely that the storm was a satyr prank.

Conditions have improved and we are preparing to resume our search. I will continue to send regular reports.

By my hand and seal,

Comes Elias Artocopus

Commander of the Chimera Legion

Servant of the Eternal Aurelian Empire

OOC Notes

Thanks to RJ (Jayden) for the background information, the report and the Imperial orders. I summarized the documents he created.

On the day of our event, we started with some sparring (Valhalla if I recall). Then, as we prepared for the lore scenario, a storm struck. It kept raining and raining, so I served lunch (hamburger stew). Thanks to Jesper for bringing some delicious, homemade bread and sausage.

By the time the storm subsided after nearly and hour, the park was swamped. We did not want to traipse through mud and standing water, so we called the event. We starting joking that the storm was a satyr prank, so that became the lore!

The Dark Alliance

My Lord Commander of the Imperial Army,

I have disturbing news to report. There is a new enemy that threatens the Empire. They call themselves the Dark Alliance.

One of my Legion's patrols brought me the news. Ulveblod led a routine training patrol. They came to a clearing filled with fetid corpses. Cautiously, they investigated. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. Dressed in black with black armor, his face was skeletal. A death knight!

Mocking the Legion, the death knight stated that the dark elves were angry at our thwarting their plans. They have formed a Dark Alliance to destroy the Legion and the Empire. With that, the knight commanded his minions to rise. The corpses reanimated and attacked our patrol!

It was a short, sharp battle. Our forces were severely outnumbered and their blades did little damage to the enemy. How do you kill what is already dead? The patrol fought valiantly, but ultimately succumbed to superior numbers. Soon, only Ulveblod remained.

The horde surrounded Ulveblod, striking repeatedly until he fell. The death knight approached, grabbed Ulveblod and pulled him to his feet. The knight spoke to the wounded Ulveblod, warning him that the Dark Alliance was coming. Then the ghastly warrior and his minions melted into the shadows.

Ulveblod managed to stumble back to camp. I sent another force to retrieve the fallen. Through the efforts of our gifted healers have revived them all.

We are now readying ourselves for battle. We await further orders.

By my hand and seal,

Comes Elias Artocopus

Commander of the Chimera Legion

Servant of the Eternal Aurelian Empire

GAME NOTES

I ran a short scenario as an introduction to the season. Next week, the campaign begins in earnest.

I messed up the teams, accidentally stealing someone from the Legion side. As a result, they were outnumbered 6-3. Apologies to the legionaries for that slipup. On the plus side, I think this scenario did an effective job of setting the stage for the new season.

We also had another new player. Welcome Chris!

By the way, here is the original photo of me as the death knight. I used Chat GPT to jazz it up.

Shaking Off the Rust

My Lord Commander of the Imperial Army,

I have the honor to report the that the Chimera Legion has reassembled. After a summer's rest, we have recovered from our strenuous efforts against the dark elves. We are now ready to serve the Empire again.

Preparations

We have begun sparring exercises to remove the rust of idleness and restore martial readiness. The Legion carried out these exercises with vigor, and the our spirit remains unbroken.

Recruitment

We have welcomed some new recruits to our ranks. These recruits include some promising fighters - Jesper and Echo, seasoned warriors from the island of Tortuga, and Bentley and Wren. We hope to convince them to join us in our next campaign.

Tournament

To test the strength of our fighters, I ordered a tournament held. The combat was fierce and worthy of our standard. The warrior Howl emerged victorious, with nary a loss to his name. He, and all the combatants, demonstrated exceptional valor and mastery of arms. I awarded Howl a sword as a memento of his victory.

The victor

Promotion

Ironically, I awarded Howl promotion to Kentarch prior to his victory. Over the past year, he has shown exceptional leadership. His victory in the tournament is just further testament to his ability. I believe he will be a boon to the Legion.

Conclusion

The Chimera Legion stands ready for whatever threats may arise. With our veterans hardened and our new blood tempered, we remain loyal servants of the Empire, ever vigilant against the schemes of any who would threaten the peace wrought by Aurelian steel.

By my hand and seal,

Comes Elias Artocopus

Commander of the Chimera Legion

Servant of the Eternal Aurelian Empire

OOC GAME NOTES

Today was our second practice of the season. I decided to run a tournament, with a sword as a prize.

Everyone faced everyone else once. This gave everyone plenty of fighting!

I also added a little twist. Bouts were best of 3 points. Combatants could use the weapon of their choice for the first point. Then they had to switch with their opponent for the second point. If the bout went to 3 points, it was decided by a knife fight!

Howl was undefeated and took home the sword.

Jayden tries to claim the sword

We were joined by 4 new (to Valiant) fighters, as described above. Hopefully, they enjoyed the experience and will return. We could use the help with this year's enemies!

The Prince's Fate

Once the Legion earned permission to land on the West Isle, we were able to find the location where the dark elves planned to enact the ritual and open the World Portal.

We arrived at the temple that the dark elves constructed for the ritual. Blocks of moon granite concentrated magic, making their incantations more effective. I am grateful we stopped them from acquiring more.

Note: If the dark elves had acquired more, then I would have reduced the time required for the ritual.

I, Comes Elias convened a council of war and we made our plans for battle.

Conferring with the wizard

Entering the Temple

I led the first company in an assault on the temple entrance. A swarm of redcaps blocked our way. There was a mad melee. We had a new wizard helping us. His spells helped us push back the redcaps. Finally, we made our way into the temple.

Beyond us was another door, closed and guarded. I suspected that the dark elves' altar was beyond it.

"That way!" I cried, pointing with my sword.

While the rest of the company pushed forward, I led a small contingent on a flanking maneuver. We swung around the right and then made a beeline for the door. Some redcaps tried to stop me, but my armor kept me safe. Hacking and slashing, I made it to the door and flung it open.

The remaining redcaps retreated past the door.

The Inner Sanctum

While my company caught their breath, Ulveblod led the second company into the inner sanctum.

At the far end was a dark elf priest, chanting an incantation and holding a knife over a figure bound to an altar. Prince Henri!

Alas, between the Legion and the altar was a swarm of redcaps!

The Legion charged, hacking their way through the mass of goblins. They reached the altar and cleared away the redcaps.

One legionary tried to kill the priest. But the dark elf was protected by a magical field. The only way to stop the ritual was to recover Prince Henri.

Next thing I knew, Howl had the prince and was making his way to the doorway. But the goblins converged and cut him down. They grabbed the prince and carried him back to the altar. Fortunately, our healers were able to reach Howl and restore him to health.

A big scrum erupted near the altar. All the while, the priest chanted. Then Ulveblod ended up with the prince. But the redcaps swarmed around him and the priest's incantation was reaching a crescendo. Ulveblod was nearly out of time. There was only one option for him.

With a quick strike, Ulveblod killed the prince. As the royal blood spilled on the temple floor, the priest screamed in rage and frustration.

"Foolish mortals!" he cried. "You shall pay for this!"

In an instance, he disappeared through a portal. Then an earthquake shook the temple. The redcaps fled to the four winds.

"Hurry, let's get out of here!" I cried. Fortunately, someone had the presence of mind to retrieve the prince's body.

The Legion escaped as the temple collapsed.

The battle was over. The World Portal remained closed. The world was safe. But the cost was high.

GAME NOTES

And thus closes our third season. As usual, I embellished the account a little. Still, it is mostly accurate, at least from my perspective.

The Legion has triumphed again, but at a high cost. We were not able to save Prince Henri. What are the ramifications? We'll find out next season.

Thanks to everyone who attended today. We actually had 11 people show up. Besides myself, we had regulars Howl, Celer, Lionhart, Ulveblod, and Brian. It was good to see Xeno again. Thanks to Kenny and Beast for coming by. And thanks and welcome to the new blood - Blaine and Adrian.

Also thanks to Kenny for creating the first image. He based it on this photo he took.

The original photo.

As far as the scenarios:

1. This was a castle battle. Get through the door, make our way to a checkpoint. It was a quick scenario. We ended up playing it multiple times, but I recorded our first attempt.
2. The second was a heavy object game. The Legion had 5 minutes to rescue the prince from the altar and get him out of the temple. Adrian, a new player, arrived just in time to play the priest. Thanks! There was a caveat to the game. As established in our lore in previous battles, we could stop the dark elves from opening the portal by killing the prince ourselves. Ultimately, Ulveblod chose that option. An exciting and dramatic finish! Note that I initially gave the Legion one life. They got shattered so I granted them bonus lives. The game worked better with extra lives. I chalked it down to maesters doing healing.

I hope everyone enjoyed the scenarios and the season. If you have any ideas for improvement, let me know.

We will meet for practices for a few more weeks before convening for tabletop gaming during the summer.

The Leprechaun's Gold

Having retrieved one of the incantations, the dark elves are set to enact the ritual and to open the World Portal. If they do, they will plunge our world into war.

The Legion must get to the ritual site and stop the dark elves from completing the ritual.

To the Western Isle

We were able to use the magical orb to return to the Isles. However, the dark elves have erected a magical barrier on the Western Isle. That must be the location of the ritual site.

We sailed to the Western Isle, but were confronted by King Diarmid. He refused to let us land, unless we paid him 30 pieces of leprechaun gold. When we agreed, he directed us to a glen where the leprechauns live.

I, Comes Elias, tried to negotiate with the leprechaun leader, but he sided with the dark elves. With that, the hunt was on.

The Leprechaun Hunt

Scattered through the glen, the leprechauns carried gold upon their persons. The Legion just had to defeat each leprechaun in turn and take their gold.

We split into two wings, each one advancing along opposite flanks of the glen. Upon seeing us, the leprechauns swarmed to the attack.

The right wing included Ulveblod, Jayden, and Celer. They rushed into the pack of leprechauns, slashing away and taking the gold of the defeated. But more leprechauns arrived, forcing the legionaries to withdraw. Still, they had a nice take - with Ulveblod pocketing the most gold with 8 coins.

Meanwhile, Brian, Howl, Lionhart, and I advanced on the left. While the leprechauns focused om the right wing, we swung in on the flank, wreaking havoc on our target. This allowed us to secure heftier prizes. I garnered 7 gold and Howl had 12!

Ultimately, we had to retire. No deaths but plenty of wounds. Still, we achieved out goal. We had well over 30 gold, enough to gain access to the island.

I then sent scouts throughout the island, looking for the site of the dark elves' ritual. We will find it soon enough, and stop them!

GAME NOTES

• The bit about Diarmid and the leprechaun king is made-up backstory. For the event, we jumped straight into the leprechaun hunt.
• In reality, the two teams fought in sequence. Ulveblod, Jayden, and Celer were legionaries first while the rest were leprechauns. Then we switched.
  
• Leprechauns had 0 hp. Upon death, the leprechaun had to hand over its gold. We had a no backstab rule when a legionary was collecting gold.
• Howl gets the Eagle for the day with his 12 gp haul.
• After the scenario, we played some goblin ball.

A Visit to the Library

As we learned from Jayden, the dark elves need the incantation to open the World Portal. The incantation is on three scrolls. The Legion has one. The other two are in the Biblioteca [library] dell' Aurora in the Duchy of Valenova (part of Nevora).

There is a clue to identify the correct scroll. It will be in case with a symbol that matches the clue.

Heavenly bodies in the sky of night

Among them is one within our sight

This fair lady soars at great height

As the oceans below dance in her light

Using the magical orbs we obtained from the dark elves, I, Comes Elias of the Chimera Legion, send two detachments of the Legion to the library to retrieve the scrolls.

The First Scroll

The first detachment led by Howl and Brian arrive in a vault in the basement of the library. There, they meet the librarian, Fabio Librotelli.

They explain their need for the scroll. Fabio is adamant; the scroll must not leave the library!

Just then, the redcaps arrive and rush the stacks of scrolls. 

The Legion charges past Fabio to engage the redcaps and secure the scroll.

As swords clash and blood spills, confusion reigns. Which is the correct scroll case? To what symbol does the clue refer? Both sides grab scrolls, but they are the wrong ones.

Finally, the redcaps grab the case with a crescent moon. They rush to the portal, exulting in their victory. But they celebrate too early. The scroll falls out of the case. Howl grabs it and escapes through the portal. It is the correct scroll!

The Legion has secured one of the two scrolls.

The Second Scroll

Ulveblod and Jayden lead the second detachment. They arrive at a different vault in the library. There they meet Flabio, Fabio's brother. He also forbids the Legion from taking the scroll.

Again, the redcaps arrive. The Legion rushes into battle and the clash of swords echoes off the vault's stone walls.

Once again, confusion reigns. Neither side is sure which case holds the scroll. Multiple times, both sides make off with a scroll, but it is the wrong one. Finally, the redcaps grab the case with the crescent moon. They make a mad dash and escape.

Now, the dark elves have one of the incantations. They grow closer to opening the World Portal!

Feast

After the battle, the Legion enjoyed a Nevoran staple - pizza!

I did a make your own personal pizza, using some store bought crust and various toppings. We then cooked them on the grill!

GAME NOTES

As usual, I made some changes to the story for narrative purposes.

• We only had 5 players. So when I write that 2 players "lead" a detachment, I really mean that they were the detachment.
• I rearranged the order of events. Ulveblod and Jayden actually were first. 
• I also switched up some of the interactions with Fabio/Flabio. For the event, I only used Fabio. Then it dawned on me there should be two librarians so I changed the second librarian's name to Flabio.

The game was essentially capture the flag.

• In the center of the battlefield, there are 4 boxes filled with cardboard tubes. The tubes represent the scroll cases. Ten of them have astronomical symbols on them. One has the crescent moon.
• RJ created an incantation scroll, which we put in the moon case.
• The combatants are placed on opposite sides of the field.
• Redcaps have infinite lives. For the first run through, the Legion had 1 life. It was not enough, so I gave them some extra lives. The second time, I gave the Legion 5 lives. That worked better.
• Fabio/Flabio the librarian (played by me) is a wild card. He tries to prevent either side from getting the scroll. So he can fight on either side.

The scroll falling out of the case really happened! I love when unexpected events like this occur.

The Rescue

Another report from our scout Jayden.

This means that we need to travel to the Biblioteca dell' Aurora immediately to retrieve the two scrolls. Fortunately, we have the orbs that can transport us there magically. Alas, the dark elves have orbs also. It will be a race.

OOC Note

• Thanks RJ for putting together the letter.
• This is an account of a mini lore scenario I ran a week ago. The Legion had to rescue the scout, played by Jayden. We had 5 people so I divided up the teams into 3 redcaps vs. 1 rescuer and 1 scout.

Defending the Moon Granite

To the Imperial High Command

From Comes Elias, commander of the Chimera Legion

I submit further intelligence from the Isles. I received this missive from Jayden Rannal, one of our scouts.

Armed with this information, I set up defenses around the moon granite quarry in the Isles.

I was with the defenders when the first attack came. The redcaps seemed to swarm out of nowhere, bypassing the ramparts we constructed. 

Celer and Howl led a counterattack, slaughtering the goblins by the score. I remained by the ore, cutting down any redcaps that managed to get by our forces. Fortunately, very few got that far.

Later, a new shift took over and I retired to camp to get some rest. Several peaceful hours went by, then the alarms sounded. Swiftly donning my gear, I led a detachment of reinforcements to the quarry. I arrived to a sickening sight. The quarry was littered with downed legionaries and scores of dead redcaps. Lionhart was one of the fallen. Fortunately, we have excellent healers, who restored him to health.

At the outskirts of the quarry  I found Ulveblod, bloodied and battered. He told me the tale of the night. The redcaps seemed to emerge from the very ground, cutting down the guards before any could react. Lionhart managed to slay a number of the goblins before he went down. Ulveblod then led the few remaining defenders who waded into battle, cutting swaths through the attackers. Some of the redcaps managed to grab the moon ore and fled. Ulveblod tried to pursue but they got away.

We have done an inventory. The goblins stole about half of the moon granite. We fear that they acquired enough for their temple. But it will be harder for them because we kept a lot of the ore out of their hands.

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?