Perilous Dark: Writhing Fumes

To play these solo games of Frostgrave using the Perilous Dark rules I made myself a new Warband. However the first thing I realised upon looking back on what I had done was that I had followed the rules for making a co-operative Warband, but non too closely. I had not overspent, but had hired 5 soldiers when the rules stipulate a maximum of 4,

I can only apologise to all you rules lawyers and believe me when I say... I really don't care much 😈

So here are the peoples in my warband:

Rolen Enchanter

Caeldrim infantryman

Halimath infantryman

Claira archer

Beiro thug

Fivin thief

Claira, only recently hired by Rolen as the fifth member of the warband and an archer, had some interesting information about a doorway she had found on a recent scouting trip into the Frozen City. However before she had been able to open the door a rather large construct had turned up and she beat a hasty retreat.

Fivin turned to Beiro and commented that Rolen must be going mad hiring a 5th soldier, tut tut tut...

Rolen had the following spells at his disposal:

Enchant Armour, telekinesis, Strength

Push, Elemental Shield, Mind Control, Heal, Brew Potion

Being a forward planner, Rolen tried to brew a potion, which he did, creating a potion of healing. 

Fivin turned to Beiro and laughed, "I bet he forgets he's even brewed that!"

Across the mass of tumble down masonry the warband could see the door Claira had discovered.

 Splitting into two groups, the first centred round Rolen, moved into cover behind a wall, while Claira and Fivin swept round the left flank towards the treasure they could see glittering in the semi dark. Claira took aim at the vapourous snake she caught sight of and wounded it, sort of...

Fivin Suddenly a snake slithered past Beiro in hot pursuit of Claira while the one she had shot made its winding way westward (not really, I like alliteration) Rolen could see trouble was afoot and tried to cast Strength on Fivin to give him an advantage, however it failed. However Claira strode forward and slapped the vapour snake with a natural 20.

Stepping out from behind the wall Beiro the thug, with the aid of Cael snuffed out the snake in front of him.

Rolen, looked over at Claira, she was a good find, but needed help, this time the spell took effect, Strength coursed through her body.

 However a rather large snake struck Claira almost killing her (9 wounds!!!!) Even with Fivin supporting her. Claira then struck down the smaller vapourous snake as Fivin swooshed

 miserably through thin air.

Rolen cast Strength on Fivin the thief, who then killed the large Vapour Snake. However a smaller snake then took 6 health from Rolen the wizard!

Halimath strode forward and brought his axe down onto the snake inflicting 17 wounds, dismembering the over grown worm. Rolen failed to cast Enchant Armour on Claira, she was worth saving, her info had been good (so far) and she was a demon with both bow and knife!

Fivin finishes off the large snake. 

Overview by the end of turn 5 I believe, although I could be wrong, who knows....

 

However things took a turn for the worse. Rolen tried to Mind Control the Balista as it readied its heavy crossbow, Rolen failed and suffered 1 wound as the bolt thudded into his armour and drove him backwards. 

Claira felt the cloud like fangs of another snake, smaller this time, bite deep into her and she dropped to the ground. The Warbands first loss. Fivin, the thief decided to leg it.

The Warband, more compact now, were more determined than ever to reach the door Claira had put within their reach. The monstrous Balista construct took aim but missed the hiding Fivin.

Beiro turned just in time to catch a smaller snake a slap with his double handed axe, killing it instantaneously. Hali secretly picks up a treasure token while Cael fights heroically.

Rolen, Cael and Hali pushed on towards the door and even though Rolen failed to cast Strength on Cael he still killed the vapour snake that had appeared behind them.

Fivin, sadly, had no such luck, a large vapour snake snuck up behind him and left him unconscious.

Fivin As Rolen and his two bodyguards moved into a better position, he tried to Mind Control the Balista only to fail yet again.

Beiro is attacked from the rear.

Hali makes a leap for the doorway, he needs to spend a whole turn there without molestation to unlock it. Cael prepares to lay down his life to save his wizard.

Sadly poor Beiro's witty quips availed him no advantage against the vapid snake as it bit into him and ended his adventure.

The Basita fires and misses. Hali finds himself in combat and Cael struggles against two adversaries.

Both Hali and Rolen stand at the door ready to disappear within, "come on Cael!"

Fivin But in the last moments the Balista rushes into combat to stop the warband leaving and poor heroic Cael falls to the floor.

However Halimath raises his axe and wounds the immense construct driving him back away from the door allowing both him and Rloen to slip within.

"Bugger!" said the Balista

"sssshhhiiiiittt!" hissed the snakes

Last shot of the board devoid of Warband, doorway reached. Next is to find out what became of the gang and see what experience/wealth they gathered? Below is how I record the health left on the warband as the game progresses. I'm not keen on flooding the playing area with tokens, I use D10 to record the wounds. 

These are the rolls for the downed soldiers during this scenario. From left to right: Cael 3, dead. Beiro 12, full recovery. Fivin 9 just a full recovery. Claira 16 full recovery.

Poor Cael heroically fought till the end but gave his life for Rolen and the warband.

So when it came to rolling for the treasure the warband managed to recover, thanks to Halimath, Rolen rolled a Grimoire with Restore Life written in it. Not really the most useful spell just at the moment but Rolen is loath to sell it just in case. The warband also had 100 gc to spend as well. 

The next game will be Isher's Weapon Shop