Another Week, Another Expedition into Frostgrave

Rick, Dave, and Patrick all showed up last night for Skirmish Saturday Night and were interested into delving into the Frozen City once more. I has originally planned to continue with the Hunt for the Golem mini-campaign we started last week… but then realized late afternoon that I hadn’t gotten around to painting the figure I had planned to USE for the golem – which shows up in the second scenario… So I quickly looked through the book to find a different scenario!

SCENARIO

We played the Genie in the Bottle scenario from the Frostgrave rulebook (pg.99). Things are set up as per normal, but anytime a figure comes into contact with a treasure they roll to see if the Genie has been encountered. (Once the Genie has been encountered no one needs to roll anymore). As I was sitting out and playing the “Game Master” role I didn’t TELL anyone which scenario we were playing or what they might encounter, just that they had to roll any time they contacted a treasure and what their score was.

The Genie is a pretty nasty piece of work. The Warband that discovered is gets experience. If the discoverers survive the lamp is worth quite a bit and if a wizard takes out the Genie (who is not effected by non-magic weapons!) they got 200 experience!

FORCES

The Boy returned to Felstad with his Necromancer - Akzar Kallesel – who is now 10^th level! He had with him two Knights, a Barbarian, a Treasure Hunter, and an assortment of other minions (no thugs or thieves left in his warband, though). He also raised a zombie before the game.

Dave returned with his Sigilist, B’ob (and his hosehead apprentice D’oug). I can’t remember what changes he’d made to his warband, if any…? B’ob is now second level.

Patrick returned with his Enchanter. He has upgraded Svetlana (a Thief, I think) to a Treasure Hunter, and Gorvak Thrice-Scorched (man-at-arms?) to a Knight.

Rick returned with his 4^th level Enchanter as well. But not really… he forgot his miniatures. So he had to borrow some of mine.

THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)

Rick, Dave, Patrick, and The Boy all ready to go. Amanda was sitting this one out as she had to get up stupid early to teach a 7:30 yoga class?! The Girl seems to have tired of Frostgrave.

Patrick’s Enchanter, Perrian, leads his warband into the ruin once more...

Rick’s warband also enters the ruined city… Lots of treasure right there at his fingertips.

B’ob, Dave’s Sigilist, and his warband approach the ruins carefully – with Perrian’s Medium Construct and a band of The Necromancers Minions bearing down on them for each side!

The freshly summoned zombie was actually the one to discover the Genie. Once I explained how the Genie worked, The Boy quickly rushed a couple of schmoes into combat (but didn’t bother with spending any actions on trying to fight – since they wouldn’t be able to affect him anyway – they were just there to keep him busy until the Knight with the Magic Sword could arrive!)

At the end of Turn One, in the creature phase, a Wraith appeared among Rick’s warband – who had all retreated away from The Boys warband in fear as he started explaining what was in his warband and threatening Rick’s with DOOM if he dared try to take any of HIS treasures! The Wraith killed one of his Thugs, but then Ricks wizard blasted it out of existence with an Elemental Bolt! BZZZAAAAP!

Perrian's construct approaching B’ob… who then cast Dispell on it – making it no longer under the control of Perrian (who, unfortunately, did not have Control Construct!)

Baldwin, Perrian’s apprentice, attacked by TWO wandering Ghouls!

Perrian himself comes to Baldwin’s aid, while his two archers continue to exchange shots with Ricks two rangers!

The Boy’s Knight arrives and takes down the Genie with one swift blow! He had +12 to the roll… Knight Fighting value +4, Magic Sword +2, +6 for three others ganging up…

Now that I think about it, would all those extra combatants add their supporting value if they themselves are not armed with Magic weapons…? I guess their purpose there is to just distract so the dude armed with a magic weapon can get in a good hit…?

Boar arrived and chased after The Boy’s Barbarian.

The uncontrolled Construct attacks one of his own warband! Gorvak Thrice-Scorched had previously been wounded was taken out by the Construct, eventually.

Perrian got back at the medaling Sigilist by eliminating him with an Elemental Bolt – Ba-ZAM!! And then got attacked by a pair of Giant Rats!

Things got busy in this little alley for a bit. Treasures flying around via telekinesis – with everyone chasing after them. Here is the Sigilist’s apprentice, D’oug, being attacked by The Boy’s Knight (with the Magic Sword!) – D’oug did not last long… Bartholomew Malcolm Underhill III, an infantryman also in the service of the Sigilist, battles against the Necromancer’s Treasure Hunter and the uncontrolled Medium construct bearing down on them both. In the back is the Minor Demon the Necromancer summoned earlier in the game, and just around the corner is the Necromancer’s Apprentice who was throwing Bone Darts into the mess!

The Barbarian stormed out of the ruined building, with Boar hot on his heals – the Necromancer stepped in to help out and… well… eventually the Boar was taken down.

More Giant Rats arrive to harass one of the Necromancer’s treasure-hauling minions.

Rick’s Enchanter… hiding in cover.

Another Ghoul arrives…

The Knight with the Magic Sword ends up fighting the Ghoul – to clear the way for the warbands treasure haulers – and gets jumped by a Large Construct that wandered onto the table! CRUNCH! Down went the knight.

And then a bear arrived and attacked Rick’s apprentice. The apprentice won the combat and pushed the bear out. On the next turn the Apprentice fled the table with a couple of the henchmen.

Perrian, down to ONE HEALTH, flees an Ice Spider!

The Nercomancer’s Apprentice gets chased off the table by a small wandering construct.

The very last treasure was the most hotly contested. Originally carried by the Necromancer’s Barbarian (who was gored by the boar and then finished off by arrow or Elemental Bolt – I can’t remember which…?) The Necromancer himself was also taken out by Elemental Bolt. It was then whisked in two different directions via Telekinesis. Another Zombie then picked it up and wandered back into this building for cover.

The Zombie was then ganked by this trio... They had been hiding from the Bear, but then broke cover, rushed into this building, killed the zombie and then found themselves surrounded by Large Wandering Constructs!

The last of the henchmen on the table – surrounded by wandering monsters – desperately trying get that last treasure!

Trying to escape the Constructs – Rick’s Wizard and other henchmen fled the table leaving his treasure carrying dwarf to fight through on his own…!?

Baldwin is attacked by the Ice Spider.

After dealing with the Ice Spider Baldwin found himself being chased by FOUR Giant Rats! At that point he decided that last treasure just wasn’t worth it and fled the table.

Curly, the Dwarf dragged the treasure back into the building, but the Constructs followed. He then decided to call it a day, dropped the treasure, climbed over a wall and fled off the table!

It was a pretty epic game - we played TWELVE TURNS and ended the game just after midnight. Two wizards and an apprentice were taken out and another wizard limped of the table with only one health! Of the twelve treasures the Necromancer collected five, everyone else collected two and the final one was left on the table... 

POST GAME

Akzar Kallesel survived the Elemental Bolt – but he has a permanent shock of while hair (which, secretly he’s rather pleased with and finds quite “dashing”). Having survived he earned 370 experience (50 for discovering the Genie, 120 for spells cast, 200 for the four treasure his warband hauled off) bringing him to 13^th level! Among the treasures he collected 470 gold (including the 300 for selling the lamp!) Two Grimoires (Mind Control and Scatter shot – which he already had a copy of, so was able to sell this one for another 250 gold!) two scrolls ( Brew Potion and Furious Quill), and a Magic Dagger (+1 Damage… so a dagger that doesn’t cause the regular -1 damage…). Among the other casualties taken, both knights will miss a game, his archer was blasted beyond repair, and the Treasure Hunter and Barbarian recovered.

Silverbeard, Rick’s Enchanter. Despite all his caution and hiding, gained 500 experience - catapulting him to NINTH level (110 for spells cast, 100 for the two treasures, 60 for the level difference, and 230 for enemies taken out – a wizard and two others!). His warband suffered only three casualties who all survived. Among the Treasures he recovered he found 60 gold and a magic Sword (+2 damage) and Magic Leather Armour (+1).

B’ob also survived the Elemental Bolt that too him out of action – but his leg was permanently damaged. He gained 210 experience (30 for spells, 10 for treasure, 80 for the level difference). His apprentice, Crossbowman and Thugs all survived, more or less unscathed, but the Thief died and Bartholomew Malcolm Underhill III will have to miss a game. Among his treasure he found 230 gold a Grimoire containing the Curse spell and three potions (two of Strength, one of Invulnerability).

Perrian staggered off the table with ONE HEALTH! He gained 470 experience! (80 for spells, 190 for taking out B’ob and some other soldier, 100 for treasure, 80 for the level difference and 20 for his laboratory). Svetlana the Treasure Hunter and Altulian the Archer will miss a game due to their injuries. Altarius and Gorvak were okay  and the new Small Construct was repairable. The Medium Construct was, however, smashed beyond repair by the magic sword-wielding Knight… Among the Treasures he collected 320 gold and Magic Dagger (+2 damage) – which he sold for another 150 gold.

We’ve not been allowing warbands to just buy any old magic item, potion or grimoire willy-nilly (because that’s just silly!). I’ve been meaning to have a merchant caravan show up with a limited number of random items for sale each week – and FINALLY remembered to do that this week! Of the ten items I rolled up only the Grimoire of Control Construct was snatched up (by Perrian the Enchanter – no more will his have B’ob dispelling his constructs and having them rampage around the table!)

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I have a bunch of English Civil War figures I’ve finished painting this week tha I’ll be posting shortly… Other than that it’ll probably be next week’s Skrimish Saturday Night game(s) – I have been working on a new campaign system for Song of Blades and Heroes I’m hoping to roll out with next week for those interested to try…