Frostgrave - Writhing Fumes
Cast:
Etienne - Sigilist from Tollonia
Manoog - Dwarf Sigilist Apprentice
Roan Whiteriver, Ranger formerly of Lorenthia
Hammet of Alladore, Templar
Cooper of Alladore, Knight
Men-At-Arms of Feldstad
Arne Torsten
Thugs of Feldstad
Sten Oraf
“So, what do we do now, Roan?” Hammet said, while dining on thin soup and stale bread, “We are out of money. You said you had a plan.”
“You would prefer dying fighting the Shadow Deep?” Roan responded. “And I have more than a plan. We have a job. Mercenary work.”
“Mercenary work?”
“Some wizard from Tollonia is here - he paid us 300 gold crowns to lead some rabble searching for a famed weapon shop.”
“Weapon shop?” Cooper responded, looking up from his beer, “Not the cursed one that I heard about?”
“It’s not cursed, fool - just guarded - couple of constructs and some magic snakey things. But we have to move fast. I saw a familiar face in the streets. He didn’t see me, but I think we’re not the only ones from Alladore here. And I overheard him talking about the weapon shop. From the look of him, he tried it, and failed. So, whatever’s there is weakened - easy pickings!”
“And we get paid?”
Roan smirked and looked at his companions, “We’ve already been paid.”
“I don’t understand - the wizard paid in advance? That’s unheard of.”
"Apparently, around here, no one crosses a wizard. Now we’ll have some real food and a mug of real ale, and then turn in. We head into the city first thing in the morning.”
In the morning, Roan, Hammet and Cooper met with their employer and the rest of their team.
“From what we’ve seen”, Manoog, the Dwarf apprentice said, “inside the entrance is a mess - rubble, debris - and some vents from which vapor leaks out. Some of it has coalesced into what appear to be snakes. My scout took a shot at one with his crossbow, and it appears immune, or resistant enough that ranged weapons should be ignored. It’s a three hour walk into the city. Master Etienne will meet us at the city gates. Any questions?”
“Uh…...What does ‘coalesced’ mean?” Arne said.
“Hey, none of you know what it means either - but I’m the only one brave enough to ask.”
“Um, to come together to form one mass or whole.” Manoog said, looking around. Still seeing blank stares, he said “The vapor turned into snakes.”
“Oh!” came from the others around the table.
“Why didn’t you say that the first time?” Sten replied.
“Warriors” Manoog muttered under his breath….
The team ventured into the ruins. Glints of treasure ahead, and to the right tempted them, but, before they could move, wisps of vapor from the vents in the ground started to twist and turn, and coalesced into snakes - their eyes, blank as vapor, still seemed to look straight at the team.
“Oraf - get him - it’s just smoke!” Roan cried.
Oraf moved up, swinging wildley. Torsten moved next to Oraf, and his slash disrupted the snake, weakening it greatly.
Etienne cast a spell, hardening Torsten’s armor against the snake’s attacks.
Etienee, Hammet and Cooper move ahead, while Manoog, Roan, Arne and Sten move to the right, each heading for treasure.
The snake snapped at Torsten; his parry disrupting it completely!
“Extra gold for kills!” Roan cries, hoping the thugs would tie up the snakes, allowing the wizards to get through.
Etienne buffs Cooper’s armor, while Manoog fails a second time in his casting, tiring himself.
As they move to the treasures, Cooper takes a big hit from a snake, and Sten is the first to grab a treasure.
Etienne casts a heal on Arne, who has taken damage himself, but the snake he has engaged snaps at his throat (Rolled a 20!). Arne, assisted by others, somehow manages not only to parry, but his parry kills the snake (rolled a 19!).
Two large vapor snakes spot Sten and charge him, while a third large snake pours out of the vent just behind Sten.
Etienne moves forward and grabs a treasure, and tries to cast Fog to hide from a snake, but fails.
“Help!” he cries.
Roan and Manoog move around the snakes engaging Sten, abandoning him.
“Cowards!” Sten cries.
However, by moving the way they did, Roan falls into view of a large construct, with a huge crossbow for an arm. The bolt crashes straight through his shield, impaling him and driving him to his knees momentarily.
Etienee rounds a corner and sees the other Ballista - he attempts to cast Fog, and once again fails.
The Ballista fires, impaling Etienne and taking him out.
Arne and Thorsten, battling their own snakes, both go down.
Sten kills one of the snakes on him, shouting oaths of vengeance against Roan and Manoog, who take cover behind some walls to avoid the second Ballista’s attacks.
As everything devolves into Chaos, the Ballista fires at Cooper, and “click”, nothing happens.
The groups move towards the exit as fast as they can.
A snake drops Roan; Hammet, Oraf and Sten all kill snakes.
Hammet charges ahead, and makes it to the door, but is engaged by a small snake.
Manoog, in his panic, casts Teleport to get to the door, and fumbles badly - he was not hit, but knocked himself out by fumbling his spellcasting.
The snakes overwhelm the party. Hammet is dropped, as is Sten. Oraf bolts for the door, but is dropped by the Ballista.
In the end, Etienne made a full recovery and gained 30 XP.
Manoog survived with a Close Call.
Roan lost a finger, but earned 10 XP.
Hammet, Cooper and Sten recovered.
Arne and Oraf were badly wounded and will need time to heal, but poor Torsten didn’t make it.
Tough, but fun scenario. I’m much more familiar with the Rangers of Shadow Deep rules, so I probably chose all the wrong tactics. I’m going to have to find an easier scenario to play, as I will be 3 soldiers down and don’t have the gold to replace them.
Manoog - Dwarf Sigilist Apprentice
Hammet of Alladore, Templar
Cooper of Alladore, Knight
Men-At-Arms of Feldstad
Arne Torsten
Thugs of Feldstad
Sten Oraf
“You would prefer dying fighting the Shadow Deep?” Roan responded. “And I have more than a plan. We have a job. Mercenary work.”
“Mercenary work?”
“Some wizard from Tollonia is here - he paid us 300 gold crowns to lead some rabble searching for a famed weapon shop.”
“Weapon shop?” Cooper responded, looking up from his beer, “Not the cursed one that I heard about?”
“It’s not cursed, fool - just guarded - couple of constructs and some magic snakey things. But we have to move fast. I saw a familiar face in the streets. He didn’t see me, but I think we’re not the only ones from Alladore here. And I overheard him talking about the weapon shop. From the look of him, he tried it, and failed. So, whatever’s there is weakened - easy pickings!”
“And we get paid?”
Roan smirked and looked at his companions, “We’ve already been paid.”
“I don’t understand - the wizard paid in advance? That’s unheard of.”
"Apparently, around here, no one crosses a wizard. Now we’ll have some real food and a mug of real ale, and then turn in. We head into the city first thing in the morning.”
In the morning, Roan, Hammet and Cooper met with their employer and the rest of their team.
“From what we’ve seen”, Manoog, the Dwarf apprentice said, “inside the entrance is a mess - rubble, debris - and some vents from which vapor leaks out. Some of it has coalesced into what appear to be snakes. My scout took a shot at one with his crossbow, and it appears immune, or resistant enough that ranged weapons should be ignored. It’s a three hour walk into the city. Master Etienne will meet us at the city gates. Any questions?”
“Uh…...What does ‘coalesced’ mean?” Arne said.
“Hey, none of you know what it means either - but I’m the only one brave enough to ask.”
“Um, to come together to form one mass or whole.” Manoog said, looking around. Still seeing blank stares, he said “The vapor turned into snakes.”
“Oh!” came from the others around the table.
“Why didn’t you say that the first time?” Sten replied.
“Warriors” Manoog muttered under his breath….
The team ventured into the ruins. Glints of treasure ahead, and to the right tempted them, but, before they could move, wisps of vapor from the vents in the ground started to twist and turn, and coalesced into snakes - their eyes, blank as vapor, still seemed to look straight at the team.
“Oraf - get him - it’s just smoke!” Roan cried.
Oraf moved up, swinging wildley. Torsten moved next to Oraf, and his slash disrupted the snake, weakening it greatly.
Etienne cast a spell, hardening Torsten’s armor against the snake’s attacks.
Etienee, Hammet and Cooper move ahead, while Manoog, Roan, Arne and Sten move to the right, each heading for treasure.
The snake snapped at Torsten; his parry disrupting it completely!
“Extra gold for kills!” Roan cries, hoping the thugs would tie up the snakes, allowing the wizards to get through.
Etienne buffs Cooper’s armor, while Manoog fails a second time in his casting, tiring himself.
As they move to the treasures, Cooper takes a big hit from a snake, and Sten is the first to grab a treasure.
Etienne casts a heal on Arne, who has taken damage himself, but the snake he has engaged snaps at his throat (Rolled a 20!). Arne, assisted by others, somehow manages not only to parry, but his parry kills the snake (rolled a 19!).
Two large vapor snakes spot Sten and charge him, while a third large snake pours out of the vent just behind Sten.
Etienne moves forward and grabs a treasure, and tries to cast Fog to hide from a snake, but fails.
“Help!” he cries.
Roan and Manoog move around the snakes engaging Sten, abandoning him.
“Cowards!” Sten cries.
However, by moving the way they did, Roan falls into view of a large construct, with a huge crossbow for an arm. The bolt crashes straight through his shield, impaling him and driving him to his knees momentarily.
Etienee rounds a corner and sees the other Ballista - he attempts to cast Fog, and once again fails.
The Ballista fires, impaling Etienne and taking him out.
Arne and Thorsten, battling their own snakes, both go down.
Sten kills one of the snakes on him, shouting oaths of vengeance against Roan and Manoog, who take cover behind some walls to avoid the second Ballista’s attacks.
As everything devolves into Chaos, the Ballista fires at Cooper, and “click”, nothing happens.
The groups move towards the exit as fast as they can.
A snake drops Roan; Hammet, Oraf and Sten all kill snakes.
Hammet charges ahead, and makes it to the door, but is engaged by a small snake.
Manoog, in his panic, casts Teleport to get to the door, and fumbles badly - he was not hit, but knocked himself out by fumbling his spellcasting.
The snakes overwhelm the party. Hammet is dropped, as is Sten. Oraf bolts for the door, but is dropped by the Ballista.
In the end, Etienne made a full recovery and gained 30 XP.
Manoog survived with a Close Call.
Roan lost a finger, but earned 10 XP.
Hammet, Cooper and Sten recovered.
Arne and Oraf were badly wounded and will need time to heal, but poor Torsten didn’t make it.
Tough, but fun scenario. I’m much more familiar with the Rangers of Shadow Deep rules, so I probably chose all the wrong tactics. I’m going to have to find an easier scenario to play, as I will be 3 soldiers down and don’t have the gold to replace them.
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