Frostgrave Campaign Game 4: The Haunted Huts

 On Sunday we were back at the local game store, Critical Hit, to have the fourth game in the store's Frostgrave campaign.  Unfortunately, I missed last month's Game 3. There were five of us playing, including two new players, and we played on  a 4'x6' table.  We decided to play the Haunted Houses scenario from the core rulebook.  We placed a treasure in each of the huts, and then each player placed two additional treasures.  Then, since there were 6 huts, and only five of us, we had a friend in the game store write down a random number between 1 and 6, and that hut's treasure would be a dummy, not to be revealed s fake until game's end.

A view of the table before the game.

    My Chronomancer, the elf, Colonel Albadon Greyrain, and his human Apprentice, Guenevere Kirov, entered on the corner of the table at the upper right in the photo above.  Across from me was the Necromancer, and to my left was a new Enchanter.  Diagonally across from me was the Summoner. Also present was a  Witch, who was on the far side of the Enchanter from my position.
     Greyrain was aware of three treasures in the immediate area that he had a good chance of getting: one a few inches away form his starting position on the second level of a nearby ruin, one on top of a ruined amphitheater on his right, and one in a small ruin to his left.
   The Chronomancer divided his force in to two groups: with himself he took the Templar, Brother Austex; the Marksman, Sergeant LeClerc (armed with a musket); and the Thug, Lindfor.   Under Guenevere's command were the Man-at-Arms, Centurion Vortus; the Thief, Okita; and the new Crossbowman, Duke Morrison (who had a pistol rather than a crossbow).  The Man-at-Arms, Caloban, and the Ranger, Sareese Riverbend, were left under their own command.
     Upon reaching their jump-off position, Greyrain immediately Cast Leap on Lindfor, sending him flying up to the second floor a nearby ruin, where he landed next to a treasure chest.  The Wizard then moved off to the left with Brother Austex, and directed Sgt LeClerc to move forward and take up position at a window on the ground floor of the ruin where Lindfor had jumped.
     Meanwhile, Guenevere moved off to the right with the others in her group, heading towards the ruined amphitheater.  She scaled the raised platform of some sort of derelict portal to check out the surrounding ruins, and noticed the Necromancer's Treasure Hunter in the distance, moving across a rubble filled street. She quickly pulled the futuristic weapon she carried from it's holster, and raising it, pushed a series of buttons on its surface.  A beam of white light, like lightning, shot from the device's cylindrical end, and  hit the Treasure Hunter squarely in the chest.  (Cast Elemental Bolt) He stumbled for a moment, but she saw he wasn't dead. She cursed under her breath.  He had to be badly hurt, she thought.

Turn 3: Lindfor makes off with his treasure (right center side of photo), as Sareese enters the small ruin (near the upper left center). Meanwhile, Col Greyrain casts Combat Awareness on Brother Austex (lower left center). Sgt. LeClerc stands at a window in the main ruin watching for targets (near the center).

    Caloban followed after the Apprentice's group, while Sareese, the Elf Ranger, moved off to the left to get the treasure located in the small ruin. She could see Greyrain heading that way too.  The wizard stopped for a moment and waved his staff in a circular motion as he spoke a series of rhythmic words.  A wall of fog appeared over on the left, (Cast Fog) blocking the view of a group of the Enchanter's soldiers who are also advancing towards the small ruin.  No sense risking any unnecessary spells or missile fire, the old Wizard thought.
   Over by the amphitheater Okita rushed forward to get the treasure, only to see it fly away under the power of the Necromancer's Telekinesis spell. She followed it, only to see it drop at the feet of the Treasure Hunter that Guen had wounded earlier.  Seeing the man was hurt, she raced forward and leaped over some rumble into combat with the man.  Her confidence in her ability to defeat the wounded soldier betrayed her though. As she sliced at him with sword, he blocked wth more force than she expected, and before she could parry with her dagger, he had struck back hitting her squarely.  As he pulled back his blade, she collapsed down upon the jagged ruins.
   Back on the other side of the warband, Greyrain could tell that the group of the Enchanter's soldiers he saw earlier were also heading for the small ruin where Sareese now headed.  He ran over to the nearby Templar and cast Combat Awareness on him so he could help the Ranger.   Sareese reached the ruin and practically leaped over the wall.  She stood next to the treasure as the Enchanter's men, with the Enchanter's Apprentice alongside them, entered from the far ruined doorway.  In a minute she was overwhelmed and quickly cut down.  Brother Austex rushed forward, but could see he was too late.  He carried an Explosive Cocktail clipped to his belt, and he paused a moment to hurl it into the ruin.  It was apparently a dud, as it went off with a loud bang, but very little damage was done to the Enchanter's men in the ruin. The brave Templar was undaunted, and like the Ranger before him, he too leaped over the ruin's low wall.  Unfortunately, despite his Combat Awareness, and powerful armor, he was no match for the 4 enemies grouped against him, and he too fell immediately.

Behind the ruins of the amphitheater, Centurion Vortus is attacked by the Necromancer's skeleton archer, as Caloban takes on the Necromancer's dog. Duke Morrison takes up  position of cover to offer fire support. 

     Things back with the Apprentice's group had hit a standstill.  The Necromancer sent his Archer and dog forward to slow up the group's progress, and Centurion Vortus and Caloban were tied up battling them.  The Necromancer launched a Bone Dart at Duke Morrison which just sliced along the Marksman's cheek as he ducked behind the nearby ruins of the Amphitheater.   However, he immediately swung back into position as he leveled his .45 pistol, and drawing a bead on the Necromancer he fired, striking the wizard on his right side.
   The wounded Necromancer, regained himself enough to cast Reveal Death on Duke, incapacitating the Marksman for a turn.  As Duke stood their transfixed with horrible visions, the Necromancer's skeleton got the upper hand on the Centurion , and laid him low with his dagger.

Colonel Greyrain (center left), and his Apprentice Guenevere (bottom center right) rush forward along with the remaining members of the warband to try and stop whatever treasure they can from leaving the table.  

     Things were getting desperate now, and Greyrain called over to Guenevere, his Apprentice, and motioned forward with his staff as he ran towards the Necromancer's side of the table.  He could see too many of the opposing wizard's men already dragging treasure off towards their home base. Knowing he had only secured one treasure himself so far,  the Chronomancer knew he needed to do something about it.
   Guen leaped down from her perch atop the derelict portal, and ran forward as well.  She paused though as the Necromancer himself came into view; and hardly stopping at all, she raised her futuristic weapon and pressed it's buttons.  A beam of light shot forth, hitting the Necromancer squarely, and he dropped to the snowy ground. (Cast Elemental Bolt)
     Greyrain took up position by a small ruined hut, and looked around.  He was shocked to see the Summoner's Apprentice across the way. She looked pale and worn out, and he suspected she had weakened herself  during the day's events.  Seeing a good opportunity,  he whipped out his futuristic weapon, and aiming it at the Apprentice, pressed the buttons.  Nothing happened.  Frustrated, he put both hands on the weapon and squeezed.  Whatever he did wasn't good, as a shock ran up both arms as the weapon fired.  His hands went numb; and worse, the Apprentice dodged the beam.  (Cast Elemental Bolt and sacrificed 6 Health to empower it, but the enemy Apprentice beet the Shoot roll.) He ducked back as the Apprentice shot a Bone Dart at him, and then had to duck again, as an arrow from the Summoner's Ranger went whizzing by his pointed ear.

Greyrain takes aim at the Summoner's Apprentice standing by the far tower.

     As Greyrain was dueling the Summoner's Apprentice,  Duke and Caloban were making their way forward, along with Guenevere, as best they could.  They spotted one of the Necromancer's men dragging a heavy treasure chest away, and Duke drew his pistol as Caloban raced forward to fight the man.  Duke fired, killing him, and the Man-at-Arms came forward and grabbed the treasure away.
   Colonel Albadon Greyrain poked his head out once more and aimed at the Apprentice.  He fired, and this time everything worked just fine.  The beam of light shot out of the weapon and struck the Apprentice, who was knocked backwards by the impact and lay motionless on the broken paving stones.  He ducked back, before any retaliatory spell or missile fire came his way.  It was only then that the old Elf noticed that the shadows were growing long amongst the ruins, and he relized that it was perhaps time to head out of the city.

Those who survived  the game with their two treasures.

     Back at the old Laboratory, the Colonel took stock of the day's expedition.   It had been a hard bloody fight for sure.  He and his Apprentice sat at an old workbench and related their respective tales from the day.  Both were saddened when neither Okita or Centurion Vortus returned that night. Greyrain poured himself a glass of French wine, and said a toast in their honor.  
   He was disappointed that they had only managed to recover just two treasures; a chest with 200 gold coins in it, and another that had 30 gold coins and three scrolls: Destructive Sphere, Bones of the Earth, and Create Grimoire. (2 Treasures = 100 Experience Points) It had, however, been a fairly good outing from a spell casting viewpoint, with he and Guenevere casting 9 spells between them. (90 Experience Points) And, having taken down an opposing spellcaster, even if it was just an Apprentice, was a nice coup for the old Wizard as well.  (80 Experience Points)
But still, there was certainly room for improvement, Greyrain thought to himself; and he began to already start mulling over the plans for his next expedition into the city.  

Game notes:   This was a notable game for me, as I have never before lost so many figures to single strike attack rolls of 20.  Okita, Brother Austex, and Sareese Riverbend,  all fell to a single dice roll.  And Duke Morrison almost did, but a +2 light-cover modifier just managed to saved his life.