Mission 3 ~The Broken Stair

Following the discovery of a deep fissure beyond the tower of Tor Varden, Hwyll and his companions descend into the very Shadow Deep itself. Travelling for a long day of twilight gloom, along a steep winding trail, the party spent a long night amidst unseen lurking horrors. As a thin light brightened the dim crack of sky above them, the dispirited group, entered a short tunnel delving into the rock face.

Mission 3 ~ Descent into Darkness

Scenario 1 ~ The Broken Stairs

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Stepping from the confines of the tunnel the companions found themselves in an open area with a twisting path leading steeply down a treacherous slope. Above them the grey clouded sky revealed a stark landscape: dry, dusty and dead. A disturbing buzzing filled the air as they continued their descent into the unknown.

The party hasn't changed but there are a few differences: Osimund is now a 3 spell Conjurer (for 30 Recruitment Points) and Malaka has been promoted to Captain of the Guard (Man at Arms - see previous post). Mouni, the tracker, Osimund and Vlaka the rogue have all earned enough Progression Points to gain 1 extra Health Point.

The game begins with the rangers at the top of a steep path/stair leading down. They are at the top of the pic below and they need to exit by the path on the other end (bottom) of the table. The land is steep & any double movement means the characters have to test to see if they fall. They also have to test for a fall if they lose any combat. 

Hwyll, Mouni and Hrolf the hound lead the way. The buzzing sound is getting stronger and as they move forward several giant flying insects take to the air and begin to hover towards them. More of the vile things can be seen far off flying and crawling on the steep cliffs surrounding the area. The very air seems to throb with the beat of their wings and their chittering.

With their bows ready, both the elfin ranger and the tracker take a giant fly out of the air. These vile sluggish things offer no competition to a well placed shaft. Gawne the archer emerges and, following his leaders' example, looses a dart to take another giant fly out of the air. (I was getting worried at this stage. All of the rolling for shooting was 17's and above. All the flies were killed in turn 1. There would be nothing to impede the heroes progress at this rate. I made a fateful decision...)

(In the Monster Phase, I decided to add an extra giant fly to a random Fly Hole for 3 turns. This was on top of the an extra fly appearing at a random table corner during the Event Phase.)

Hrolf stopped. Sniffing the ground and pointing excitedly to the left of the trail where a body could be seen laying amongst the dust and the stones. Vlaka approached finding the corpse of a Lorenthian soldier clutching a thick package in it's cold dead hand. A quick investigation showed this to be Farlight Leaf wrapped in a love letter that was never delivered. (I rolled for the potion immediately as directed. It would have come in very useful with +1 Shooting but I didn't even think of using it. I don't know why.)

As soon as they died, more giant flies crawled from their fly holes and took to the air where Hwyll and his band of heroes continued to shoot them down. (A random event drawn from the Event Cards.)

So intent on his search of the corpse Vlaka failed to notice a giant fly creep from it's hole and shake it's glistening wings free of dust.

Even with the best dice rolls it seemed the flies were no match for the stinging arrows of our band of heroes. It's not every day you see a dice roll like this, but Hwyll's +2 shoot gave him the win and the +5 damage for a critical hit meant certain death for the fly.

 And so they continued their journey down the treacherous path. Gawne & Malaka stayed close by Vlaka in case he needed their aid as his daring nature could easily see him getting into danger.

Assailed on both sides by the repugnant creatures Vlaka and Malaka both find themselves trying to fend off the snapping beaks of these flying monstrosities. Unable to shoot for fear of hitting his friends Gawne can do nothing but look on.

Malaka was able to slay his beast with a swift chop but Vlaka with only a dagger to defend himself didn't have the reach or the skill to pin his fly with his sticker. 

 

The flies seemed to smell blood in the air and started becoming agitated. They were managing to dodge arrows that moments before would have skewered them. As more of them appeared it seemed their movements became even more erratic, yet somehow... guided! (The run of great shooting rolls was coming to an end. Maybe my decision to bring in extra flies was a mistake. However... I stuck to my decision.)

"Come on, lad." said Malaka, 'We must join the others. We need to plug up those bug-holes or we're going to be surrounded by these things." And so saying he descended the unstable slope.

But Gawne saw that Vlaka still had a fight on his hands with the darting insect. He  still couldn't get a shot so he drew his sword a went to the aid of the wily little man watching his step as he left the path.

 And still they made their way down the stair with Hwyll and Mouni leading the way.

Picking his steps carefully Gawne drew his blade and swung at the monster fly. He hit the thing with the flat of his blade, not a killing blow but the battering drove the insect straight onto Vlaka's outstretched dagger and he quickly pinned it to the ground. Dead! (Vlaka attacked - Rolled 20! Critical Hit - So with the +5 & the +2 from Gawne he absolutely smashed the fly).

On the far side of a stony outcrop, Hwyll spied a small glittering box. What was this? The only way to find out was to look. But no sooner had the ranger stepped from the path than one of the flies buzzed straight towards him where it darted past his sword and grappled his chest digging barbed claws into his ribs.

The Autum Elf, teetered on the unsteady ground but managed to keep his footing as he tried to pry the repulsive, mutation from his body.

Vlaka had also spied the box that Hwyll had seen and, heedless of the danger he had narrowly escaped, made his way towards it skipping lightly with agility over the rough ground. (He easily passed several TN rolls to see if he should fall for making double moves).

Seeing his master in distress Hrolf bounded back up the slope to snap at the clinging fly but in his haste to join the fight knocked a loose stone and tumbled a dozen feet before regaining his four-legged footing. (He failed his TN roll for a double movement and fell taking a couple of points of damage). 

On the other side of the path Malaka and Osimund decide to shut one of the bug-holes. and make a move towards one of them. Seeing a fly making it's way toward them, Osimund cast a spell that swatted the fly into a tangled mess of pulp onto the dusty ground. (He cast a very effective Swat spell).

As they approached the hole a pair of barbed claws could be seen feeling the stony edge. With lightning speed one of the monstrosities crawled over the lip and spread it's glittering wings. "Have you got another of those spells?" asked the guard captain.

Hwyll was still struggling with the disgusting horror crushing the life from him as he staggered under its weight. Seeing the elf so beset, Mouni the tracker of the north moved to his side and thrust a arrow, held in her bare fist, into the creatures eye and pried if from it's place. (Hwyll was in dire straights. He was down to 5HP.)

Seeing his master back on his feet, Hrolf barked and bounded down the slope pointing the way to safety.

Before Osimund could utter the words of his spell the giant fly struck. The snapping beak caught his shoulder and threw him off balance. With a cry, the mage tumbled down the unstable slope. 

Malaka saw his friend laying in the dust and assumed the worst. But as he charged forward, with his sword upraised the mage rose to his feet. Unsteady and bloody but sill alive. (Osimund lost the fight and was badly wounded. he then failed his TN roll and took a tumble. I initially thought he was dead but and he was down to 1HP. He lost 12HP but he now had 13HP due to the Progression Point gain!)

Vlaka was again set upon by a fly, but he now had their measure and a quick swipe of his dagger saw his attacker fall to the ground with it's putrid guts spilling form a slice that opened it up from head to tail.

Malaka dispatched another with a single swift blow, chopping the abomination into two halves that continued to twitch and buzz on the dusty ground. (20! Critical Hit)

Sick of these buzzing enemies Vlaka approached a fly-hole close by. He quickly lit a torch and tossed it in then kicked a few lose rocks into the depths just to make sure. (Closing the fly-holes is one of the scenario goals).

The party were very spread out now. They would need to get back to the path so that they could continue their descent. Hwyll sent out an ululating whistle: the sign for them to re-group!

But was that a mistake? As if awaiting a sign, flies started coming from everywhere. Before Malaka or Osimund could make a move another fly crawled from the hole before them taking to the sky immediately. 

From a place near the bottom of the slope a mass of flies erupted and took to the air. (The fly near Malaka and Osi was the last of my random extra flies. The ones in the pic below were: the fly that appeared at a random corner, and two more from an Event Card). 

Hearing the great buzz and seeing the flies moving in the direction of Hrolf, Hwyll dashed to the hound's side to put himself between his friend and the flying death dealers. A quick shot from the ranger and one of the abominable insects fell from the sky. Mouni shot at another but it dodged her arrow. Hwyll drew his sword awaiting the assault. (Hwyll used his Dash Heroic Ability to move an extra 2" and make the distance without using a double move.)

Within seconds the flies were upon them. A fly battered into the ranger's face blinding him and biting into his shoulder. Another swooped to the brave hound's back and sunk it's jaws into his twisting neck. Hrolf sunk to the ground unable to weather the assault.  

Bloody and bruised, Osumund crossed back onto the path just in time to see the loyal hound fall to the ground. With an arcane word and a gesture, a bolt of magical energy shot forth and the fly exploded into a red mist. (Osimund cast a Magic Bolt and rolled a 20 - I don't know if  magic can do a critical hit or not. But it was a timely blast).

Wounded almost unto death, only the rock at his back kept Hwyll on his feet. Once again the tracker of the north came to his aid and smashed the buzzing horror from it's perch on the ranger's shoulder. With barely enough strength to stand, Hwyll whispered his healing rune and regained some of his strength (He was down to 1HP this time. He has a Heal spell and also carries a Holy Symbol so the spell heals 6HP to take him back to 7.)

 And still the flies came...

The companions regrouped and made their way down the path. Malaka had succeeded in destroying another of the fly holes and now brought up the rear of their descent.

Hwyll drew his bow and put another fly out of the air. A second flew at Mouni but she swatted it out of the air with her staff. It was time to leave this place of dust and foul carrion creatures. 

As Hwyll and Mouni guard the way, Gawne is the first to exit the open area to where the path once again narrows into a steep sided cleft in the rock. 

 Mouni leads the wounded Osimund into the narrow way.

Hwyll and Captain Malaka stand guard as Vlaka leaves this place of death. Looking to the body of the fallen hound the final companions feel a growing rumble and hear noise as if the mountains are falling...

Without time to lift the body of their fallen comrade Hwyll and Malaka are force to run for their lives as the ground behind them falls in a devastating landslide. Rocks and boulders crash and tumble blocking the small defile where they stood. Coughing and wiping dust from their eyes they look back.
Spake Hwyll; "Alas noble hound and friend. Rest well. At least now the carrion will not disturb your bones."

I kept going through the turns because there was still a fly on the other end table making it's way forward and there was the chance of an event card bringing on more. This didn't happen because of the closed down fly-holes. But the very end of the final turn I drew the Jack of Hearts - Landslide. Both Hwyll and Malaka came out unscathed but dusty.

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The companions moved as quickly as they could to a point of safety where they stopped to rest, mend their wounds and mourn the death of their valiant companion. They had hoped to map the way into the realm of shadows but the path behind was blocked now so there seemed little need (TN8 Navigation Roll by Hwyll ~ Failed ~ even with a +2). How many more days would the companions have to travel in this wretched land? They did not know.

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This one had surprises from start to finish. As I mentioned I was worried that the party would breeze through. The shooting rolls at the start were ridiculous. No rolls below 17. Even when the fly rolled a 20 it lost! Every fly on the table was being shot out of the sky as soon as it appeared.

But the fickle finger of fate was at work. No sooner had I made my fateful decision to add more flies than the dice gods spoke and doom was in the air. In reality the dice just evened out a bit better. Hwyll didn't miss when shooting but, this time around, he couldn't land a blow in combat for the life of him. And it was almost the end of him (well possibly the end of him). When a character goes to 0HP you roll after the game to see what happens and death is an option that you don't want to have to risk.

And so the Dice Gods Laughed!

Valiant Hrolf didn't make it which is a shame (He rolled a 1). I really liked him. He was a good character and I tried to make him brave and loyal to the people who save him and to make Hwyll equally as loyal in return. Even his name seemed a good fit for the only dog figure that I own. Vale Hrolf!

It's a strange thing... I "promoted" Osimund to a level 3 Spell mage and ever since he's seems to be better. His Magic Bolt spells have been devastating where previously they were real fizzers half of the time. His Swat spell splattered a fly to a pulp. Uncanny, I say.

The Treasure token turned out to be Anthalas leaves. They went to Osimund. I can't believe that I found the Fairlight Leaves that would have improved shooting but forgot to use them. As it was the party ended up killing 20 giant flies with another two still on the table at games' end.

Hwyll is now level 4. He gains a new Heroic Skill. I've long thought about this and I was going to give him Eldritch Recall to boost his spell casting ability. But I then decided to go for Split Cast for the same reason but with a somewhat different effect. In anticipation for the next scenario, I will also take the option of swapping out one of his spells. Enchanted Steel for Amphibious. I hope I don't regret this.

Malaka has reached 10 Progress Points so he gains an extra Health Point. 

NextScenario - Into the swamp...