Well this is it.. After a little over half a year of almost weekly games (28 games over 31 weeks - we missed a few weeks here and there, but had played some extras over the holidaze!), the Heroes were ready to make their first attempt to take on The Wolfking, himself, Tyrant of Ulfenkarn...
Finnegan was playing Brutogg Corpse-Eater and Octren Glimscry. Amanda played Qulathis the Exile and Glaurio ven Alten III. (And, as ever, I was the Game Master, controlling all the hostiles and keeping the game moving!)
In the Previous Journey, the Extraction Event had indicated that The Wolfking had caught their scent and was tracking them and thus would replace whatever was the second hostile on the initiative track at the beginning of the next game... So Radukar was there waiting for them when they arrived to take him out!
Then I drew the Vargskyr for the FIRST space on the initiative track! Yikes!
Octren Glimscry was the first to go and stepped out and Cursed the Vargskyr - his new Level Four ability - once per turn on his activation, he can curse one hostile within sight... then he failed to deal any damage with his remaining attacks...
So Glaurio had to come out and help... but even he could not finish off the Vargskyr!?
Qulathis did, though...
and even had an activation left to take a shot at Radukar!
Brutogg then charged in and finished off Radukar!
On the next turn, Octren moved forward and opened the next door... and found some Vyrkos Blood-Born vampires lurking behind it!
He cursed he first one he encounter and then attacked it.
Glaurio finished the first one off with a shot and then charged in to finish off the second one! Boom TWO inspriations points, just like that!
Brutogg pushed by and started smashing skeletons apart...
Beyond that was.... RADUKAR AGAIN!?!?
and another patrol of the Ulfenwatch and some Deadwalker Zombies!
Between Glaurio and Qulathis, he was taken down by shot and arrow!?
And then Brutogg got to work smashing up more skeletons!
and then kind of got swarmed by them... and the zombies...
It LOOKED kind of bad, but none of them seemed to be able to land blows on the hulking brute!
So glad he was on their side!
The others joined in and helped the ogor clear out the zombies and skeletons...
and moved on..
Next they encountered MORE Zombies and some Corpse Rats and Bats!
Which they worked through with relative ease...
Brutogg had a little snack along the way - to keep his energy levels up...
And then they ran into a pair of Kosargi Nightguard...
Brutogg started in on them...
He was joined by Octren, who cursed one of them.. and then used his Tomes of Death ability to make the Kosargi Nightguard ATTACK EACH OTHER. (He told the one that that other had said something terribly rude about his mother... so the one struck the other, and the other retaliated... dealing some pretty serious damage to each other!)
Glaurio stepped up and shot one in the face, finishing it off... The Qulathis caught up and finished off the second one!
There were a few Zombies to clear away...
And everyone made it to the secret entry to the Ebon Citadel where they would confront Radukar the Wolf for one last time (maybe?) in his throne room!
We had originally planned to call it quits here and play the second part on Wednesday (our regular night for Warhammer Quest!)... but the first part went quickly enough, it was decided to forge ahead with the second part this evening - the raid on Radukar's inner sanctum to destroy his Gravesand Phylacteries and destroy HIM once and for all!
All set up for the second part.
There was a bit of discussion of strategy...
Radukar doesn't even show up on the board until the first Phylactery is destroyed!
The Kosargi Nightguard do not activate until they have taken damage or start an activation with a Hero visible to them (though there are events that can cause them to move before that!).
The other Hostiles present were a trio of Vyrkos Blood-Born vampires.
All three of these groups - Radukar, the Kosargi Nightguard, and the Vyrkos Blood-Born - all get SUPER deadly after dark... and by the time the Heroes had arrived, it was well after dark.
As with the other Decapitation Journeys, any hostiles that are not on the board when their group activates are rolled for and potentially come back. (Also Radukar has activations that summon Vyrkos onto the table and/or give them extra actions...)
The Kosargi were the first on the initiative track, but as they were not injured and had no Heroes in sight, remained on guard at their respective Gravesand Phylacteries.
Glaurio was the next to go, and kind of wasted actions moving out to where he could see the Vyrkos taking a few shots, most of which missed, and then spent actions moving back into the start area... If he'd just held his actions he would have had MORE actions to shoot at or stab as they moved in and attacked... alas...
When the Vyrkos went they charged and trapped everyone in the entrance... at least here they could only attack with two of their number. Still they grievously wounded Glaurio, dealing four damage! (even after he re-rolled his defence...)
Brutogg went and finished off the vampire Glaurio had wounded and beat down the other one that had so gravely injured Glaurio...
Then Qulathis moved out and injured the third vampire. She is not-so-great when not inspired... but holy heck does she get NASTY once her card flips to the Inspired side!
Octern moved out of the entry area and helped finish off that third vampire...
The round end event had one of the Kosargi Nightguard move from his post - he probably heard the commotion out in the hall and went to investigate. His move got him to the door, where he'd be able to see Qulathis and Octren, so that one would be activating when their next card came up!
And move it did! Seriously injuring Qulathis! (4 damage, I think!?)
Glaurio took a few shots injuring the undead Ogor. The Octren cursed the Nightguard and finished off the lumbering brute!
He had enough activations left to move in and attack the other Kosargi Nightguard... but missed... and effectively blocked Brutogg from getting to it in one action..
Qulathis went last and used her two activations to move into the room vacated by the Kosarge Nightguard, and smashed the first Gravesand Phylactery! I think at this point she chugged her Potion of Coagulated Vitality and removed all the wounds - so she could have all her activations next turn... or.. be able to take some damage and not die! Glaurio had done the same on his turn (it was VERY lucky that they'd both had Potions of Coagulated Vitality and had been able to save them for this Journey!)
In THIS final Decapitation Journey, not only do the heroes have to do a 4+ action to destroy the Phylactery, they also have to roll a success on a d12! (Which Amanda did, so it was fine!)
Radukar felt the shift in his blackened soul and came running...
Initially Qulathis was in the second last position on the Initiative Track and Radukar was going first... So Amanda attempted a gambit... and succeeded - putting Qulathis in first and Radukar in second last... ALL the heroes it turned out would be going before all the hostiles!
So Qulathis ran away! She stopped at the door to take a shot at Radukar, injuring him slightly...
But then dashed into his Throne Room and smashed ANOTHER of his Gravesand Phylacteries!!
Glaurio stepped to the door and shot Radukar three times - wounds which would have killed him... instead the THIRD Phylactery shattered in the room with Brutogg and Octren!
Brutogg finished off the second Kosargi Nightguard...
and then moved to block The Wolf from getting at his little friends.
Octren went next and there was a bit of a debate about what he should do. Finnegan had initially wanted to go to the door and curse Radukar (as that would mean anyone attacking would do more damage...) but it was pointed out that if he used all his activations he had just enough to run into the Throne Room and smash the last Phylactery!
And he did so...
Radkar stepped in and attacked Brutogg twice. For the first attack, Brutogg was able to reduce all but one of the damage, and then had a Curse Catcher (magic item) to remove the curse he'd take from being wounded by Radukar! The second attack also got a damage or two through and so now Brutogg was cursed (and stunned!)
The End of Turn Event put Radukar's initiative card at the front of the Initiative Track... and Glaurio was dead last!
Amanda attempted a gambit for Glaurio and initially failed... but then rolled a crit for the second attempt! This put him in first place.
So Glaurio shot Radukar three more times, dealing NINE damage...
Then used his final activation and a destiny die to step in and finish Radukar off with his sword!!
Glaurio ven Alten III brought down the Wolfking!
There was no exit location for this scenario, the instructions are simply, if Radukar is slain, open the sealed envelope in the box and read it! So we let Amanda do that, since it was her character that took him down!
SPOILERS!!!
He doesn't die... We kind of knew that because they made a Radukar the Beast miniature... and it's one that's used in the sequel campaign; Night Wars. It narratively describes how he goes all Vargskyr and leaps out the window and tears down the walls of the Ebon Citadel and escapes into the night. For a time things get better in Ulffenkarn... but then one day Hysh does not rise and the realm is plunged into an eternal night!?
Yikes... so.. all further games played count as Night... when all the creatures get NASTY!!
Finnegan pointed out that this makes Octren Glimscry's Tomes of Death ability better - because when he has hostiles attack each other, they deal more damage - enough for skeletons to now kill each other - if they hit! (a small silver lining, I guess...?)
It states the Influence is reduced to zero and the Fear is reset at five...
I guess I need to crack open Night Wars and start reading...
I'd thought maybe we'd take a break. Amanda is leaving on a vacation in less than two week and will be gone until sometime in August. But then Amanda said we should just keep playing - including the next day - WEDNESDAY - our regular Warhammer Quest night!?
So... maybe tune in tomorrow for the continuing adventures...?
