A Problem with Pirates

The Next Quest

After examining the clues from the cemetery, we realized that we need to travel to the pyramids of Palmyra. The Imperial government assigns us a ship, a speedy war galley, for our journey. We begin our voyage south.

Trouble Brewing

Along the way we run into a storm. Through the valiant efforts of the crew, the ship is saved. However, we lose much of our supplies overboard. I, Comes Elias, order us to land at a nearby island for replenishing our stock.

While the crew works to repair the ship, I lead a landing party ashore to scavenge for supplies. We find a bounty of fruits and vegetables, in addition to fresh water. After a long day, we have bags of supplies to keep us fit for our journey.

An Unpleasant Surprise

We make camp and prepare to settle in for a restful night. But it was not to be. From the brush surrounding the clearing, a figure emerged.

"I'll be takin' them sacks," the figure stated, pointing to our bags of supplies.

I told him to be off, but he whistled and a horde of pirates emerged from the wood. With a roar, they charged us. We quickly grabbed our shields and weapons then prepared to repel the charge. The pirates crashed into our shield wall, but we held firm and began hacking away at our enemy.

Suddenly, a hail of arrows rained down on us. Ulveblod led a detachment that chased off the archers. But a few pirates snuck around our line, grabbed some sacks, and hightailed back into the woods.

We retired a short distance to protect the supplies. Our defenses held and the wave of pirates slackened.

Then the captain strode forward, two dragonnes in his hands. If you are unfamiliar, dragonnes are weapons that spew out fire and lead shot when you pull the trigger. I knew that these could break our shield wall. Our only chance was to attack.

"Charge!" I cried and rushed toward the captain. He pulled the triggers and . . . nothing. The dragonnes misfired!

"Well, that's inconvenient," the captain said as he dropped his weapons and reached for his sword. I did not give him the chance to draw. I ran at him and ran him through.

With their captain's death, the rest of the pirates fled. We lost some supplies, but we managed to save the bulk. The next day we set sail for Palmyra.

GAME NOTES

This was a spur of the moment lore battle so I wanted to do something simple. I remember running scenarios back in the day where goblins raid a village, looting supplies. I decided to use the same scenario, but with a different enemy.

I purchased some burlap sacks and stuffed them with plastic bags. These were our supplies. I placed them in the middle of a clearing and stationed the legionaries to defend them. Then the pirates started outside the clearing and could attack from any direction. They had to grab the supplies and escape with the bags. Pirates had 2-3 armor points and 2 lives. Legionaries had 1 life but had armor points based on their level and armor.

The account above is an amalgamation of the 2 times I ran the scenario. First, Raph and I were pirates. Raph managed to swipe a bag before Brett hunted him down. Then Brett and Robb were pirates. Brett grabbed another sack. Robb played the pirate captain and really did say "Well, that's inconvenient" when his Nerf pistols misfired. Overall, the pirates only stole 2 of the 6 sacks so I chalk this up as a Legion victory!

The Haunted Cemetery

Following the demon attack upon the emperor, the Chimera Legion begins a new quest - find the Rod of Demon Slaying.

The first step is to find a clue to the Rod's location in an abandoned cemetery outside the capital city.

The Journey

I, Comes Elias, lead two small companies to the cemetery. It lies in a region overrun by bandits. We have to fight our way through.

Bandits!

First company, led by Jailene and Dio, spearheads the way. The bandits attack. The clash of battle resounds from the sunken road leading to the cemetery. Alas, the bandits are too powerful and first company retreats.

We then switch tactics. I take part of a company and attack the bandits in a holding action. While we pin the enemy, Ulveblod leads a flanking force around the bandits. Reaching the cemetery, Ulveblod opens the gate. A loud, mournful moaning emanates from the cemetery. The superstitious bandits, fearful of ghosts and ghouls, flee.

The rest of my command reaches the cemetery without incident.

The Cemetery

I stay at the entrance with a force the protect our rear while a company enters the cemetery to look for clues.

Ulveblod and Dio lead First Company. They find an overgrown cemetery filled with headstones, tombs, and marble statues. As they enter, one of the statues begins to move! It blocks their path and proclaims, "Halt! None may pass!"

A statue defending the cemetery

First Company ignores this warning. As they pass, the statues attack. They have to defend themselves while scouring the cemetery for clues. They spot broken stones with runes upon them. These must be the clues! Ulveblod and Dio manage to grab one. However, the attacks of the statues prove too much, and the company retreats from the cemetery.

Still, it is an encouraging start. We have found a clue and know what to look for.

Jailene and Kleanos lead the next company into the fray. Kleanos focuses on delaying the statues while Jailene scoops up broken stones. Soon, they have them all and can retire from the cemetery.

The Clue

Here is the stone that the Legion recovered.

We were able to determine that we need to go to a tomb of a long dead king. Can you tell where his tomb is and what his name is?

This map of the world may help.

Game Notes

I forgot to take pictures so I used AI to generate a couple illustrations.

Anyway, on to the games.

The first scenario featured 2 legionaries vs. 3 bandits. The legionaries had to fight their way down a road, through the bandits, and to the cemetery entrance. Ulveblod and I succeeded as described in the first try. For my account above, I re-ordered events to make the narrative sound more dramatic.

The second scenario also featured 2 legionaries, but this time vs. 3 animated statues. The statues could walk but not run, and were positioned to defend the stones. Jailene and Kleanos gathered all 6 stones. I was one of the statues and positioned myself near the entrance. The legionaries would need to get past me to win. Kleanos spent much of the game killing me, opening a path for Jailene to escape with the stones.

We ran the scenario again to give others a chance, but they had less success. Again, I reordered events for drama.

By the way, one of my cats photobombed my first picture of the stone.

The Demon

After the Empire's victory over the Dark Magi, the Chimera Legion earns a rest. The army withdraws them from the front and stations them in the capital city. For a few months, the Legion's days are quiet.

Then one night an odd storm brews up. Dark clouds swirl over the Imperial palace and greenish bolts of lightning strike down. Comes Elias stands in the courtyard of his troop's barracks surveying the scene.

"I don't like the look of that, Ulveblod." Elias says to one of his subordinates, a Rhuunish warrior in the service of the Empire.

Elias orders his men to stand ready, but the storm dissipates before they called into action.

💀💀💀

The next morning, Elias receives orders to report to the palace.

"We have a very important mission for you," the chamberlain of the palace declares.

He leads Elias into the imperial chambers. Frozen in a magical field is the emperor, and he is grappling with a demon!"

The chamberlain explains. The demon broke into the palace to assassinate the emperor, but the emperor's confessor was able to freeze the demon while attacking. However, the priests cannot hold the field indefinitely. They need to destroy the demon. Unfortunately, this demon is immune to all earthly weapons . . . except one.

💀💀💀

Now Elias and the Legion must embark on a new quest - recover the Rod of Demon Slaying.

The Totem

With the key in their possession, the Imperial scouts can proceed into the lower level in their quest to destroy the Dark Magi's totem.

The party divides into 2 waves. The first wave includes Basilius, Beast, and Raph. Ulveblod, Hephaestus, and an unnamed cleric form the second wave.

Using the key, Basilius opens the door. Two massive ogres confront the first wave!

A vicious melee erupts in the doorway. With each swing, the ogres inflict grievous wounds upon the legionaries. The scouts respond with flashing blades and a hail of missiles. The battle takes its toll. Our heroes fall, only to be healed and return to the fray.

Finally, the ogres collapse from their wounds. The first wave enters the room, only to face one of the Magi!

With dark incantations, he casts infernal spells - bolts and blasts of dark energy and webs to hold the strongest in place. Our heroes manage to dodge most of the spells. Raph and Beast advance, forcing the magi backwards. Basilius takes the opportunity to rush the totem. He strikes again and again, damaging the source of the dark mana.

But more ogres enter the fray, forcing the first wave back. In response, the second wave joins the battle. The cleric uses divine power to repel one of the ogres. Ulveblod engages the other, pinning it. Hephaestus takes the opportunity to rush past the beasts and the magi. He reaches the damaged totem. With a series of blows, Hephaestus destroys the totem.

There is a burst of arcane energy. The energy recoils upon the magi, consuming him in bluish flame. The ogres go mad and flee from the room.

Unharmed by the burst, our heroes look around at each other in wonder. They retrace their steps through the temple, but all enemies are gone. When they exit the temple, they see scores of ghuls lying motionless on the ground. Other monsters are fleeing eastward!

Game Notes

Essentially, I ran a "ring-the-bell" scenario for the legionaries. They had to succeed before they ran out of lives. I ran the scenario twice, with both waves succeeding. I combined the narrative of each run-through into a single narrative.

We experimented with a rule change. We used a hit point system instead of the standard hit location system. This meant that players did not have to lose a leg or arm. They just reduced their hit points. Humans start with 3 hit points. Armor adds to their points. The legionaries also had access to healing, so they could replenish their hit points twice. The enemies all had 10 hit points.

The Key

The Mission

Thanks to Ulveblod and Raph, the Legion knows where to find the temple with the Dark Magi's totem. They need to destroy the totem to stop the Dark Magi's army.

Comes Elias sends out a scouting party consisting of Basilius, Ulveblod, Raph, Beast, Hephaestus, and William. Their mission: enter the temple, find the totem, and destroy it.

The Temple

Once in the temple, they are beset by snake-like humanoids. Naga!

The party makes its way through naga-infested passageways, but finds that the entrance to the lower levels is locked.

"We need to find the key." Basilius announces. 

One of the other scouts informs the party that one of the naga had a key. The others chime in. Other naga had keys as well. What were they to do?

"Gather them all," commands Basilius. "Then we'll find the one that works."

The Hunt

The Legionaries begin scouring the temple for naga. Soon, the sounds of battle echo through the stone corridors.

Our heroes are quite successful. Nagas fall by the score, and the scouts scoop up the keys. Yet the naga keep coming, this time with poisoned blades. The insidious concoctions weakens any wounded scouts. They are unable to wield both weapon and shield. Yet their unwounded companions provide cover, allowing the victims to recover and return to the fight. The unstoppable force of the Legionaries soon clears the nagas from the temple.

The Key

Now that they have all the keys, the scouts return to the lower levels. They try all the keys. As it turns out, Beast has the one that worked.

Basilius puts the key into the lock and turns, opening the portal to the lower level. What will the Legion find there?

Find out next month!

Game Note: 

I turned the game into a raffle. The naga dropped a key when they were killed. The Legionaries then collected them. Keys were numbered and each acted like a raffle ticket. We used Siri to generate a random number. Ultimately, Beast won the raffle.

The Birds

A huge army of undead is marching on Aubastia. Comes Elias realizes that he cannot hold the town against this horde. Thus, he sends out scouts to look for the enemy's weak point.

The scouts fail to return, so Elias calls for Ulveblod and Raph.

"Our scouts are missing. We assume they've been taken by the enemy. However, I ordered them to note any findings and hide the notes under rocks. We need you to find those notes."

Ulveblod and Raph head across the plains and over the hills east of Aubastia.

They don't go far before they run into trouble - man-high, ill-tempered, carnivorous birds.

Our heroes see a scrap of paper under a rock. They try to retrieve it, but one of the monster birds attacks. Its razor-sharp beak rips into Ulveblod's armor and draws blood. He retaliates, swinging his massive great sword. The blade slashes through the bird's neck, severing its head.

Drawn by the blood, more of the monster birds converge. Ulveblod and Raph dodge and duck the vicious avians. They slash and hack, their swords drawing blood and leaving a pile of bird carcasses.

"Look! Another scrap of paper!"

There are more scraps scattered across the field. Our heroes rush madly back and forth, trying to gather all the scraps. Meanwhile, more birds chase them, pecking at them and causing additional wounds.

They finally gather all the pieces and return to camp.

Deciphering the notes, they realize that they need to find a temple that lies southeast of Aubastia. There, they need to destroy a totem. Presumably, this will break the Dark Magi's control over the undead.

The Final Fight for Aubastia

After the Legion's assault failed, Comes Elias calls for the archers.

"My lord!" one of his subordinates calls. "They have all fallen in prior battles!"

Elias mutters in frustration, but then a thought occurs to him.

"Then bring up the Tortugan mercenaries." 

Attack on the Death Knight

Elias gives the Tortugans instructions, then they advance to attack the death knight.

The death knight jumps down from the parapet and engages the mercenaries. His flail scythes through the ranks. The dead then rise again as ghuuls and join the fight on the death knight's side.

The Death Knight

But the Tortugans press forward. Their blades slice apart the ghuuls. They reach the death knight and strike, but his armor deflects the blows.

Reinforcements

From outside the citadel, the Legion hears the roar of a lion. Suddenly, a monstrous creature bursts through the gate!

Half man and half lion, the manticore rushes the flank of the Tortugans. Its claws rake into flesh, and unfortunate mercenaries drop.

Counterattack

But then one mercenary, Stone, launches a counterattack. He unleashes a flurry of arrows, which pierce deep into the beast's hide. Then he draws his blade and charges. He crashes into the beast. There is a flurry of claws and steel. But in the end, the manticore lies dead.

Meanwhile, the rest of the mercenary company press forward. They cut through the ghuuls and reach the death knight. Their attacks crash into his armor. Pieces of steel and leather break off. 

Finally, one of the leader of the Tortugans, Kleanos, slashes with his great sword. It slices through the death knight's armor and cleaves deep. severing bone and rotted flesh. The death knight collapses!

Aftermath

Aubastia is now in Legion hands. Just in time, because scouts arrive to report that a Dark Magi army is on the march toward the town. Elias gives orders to dig in.

Elias speaks to his second-in-command, Basilius. "Even if we fortify, I don't know if we can hold out against this approaching army. If only there is a way to disrupt the attack until our reinforcements arrive."

Basilius replies, "I'll send out some more scouts. Maybe they can find a way."

GAME NOTES

This is the report from our January 7th meeting.

Robb played the death knight and I was the manticore. H from South Tortuga Sea (the FAU Belegarth group) served as a ghuul.

The mercenaries were other visitors from South Tortuga Sea - Kleanos, Anna, Dio, and Stone. I don't recall who actually killed me. I think it was Stone but I apologize if I got that wrong. Kleanos got the final kill on the death knight.

Thanks to Robb and our visitors from South Tortuga Sea. It was an enjoyable fight!