Sprains, Floods, and Vikings

Apologies for the thin content lately. Not only have I been hammering away at my latest fiction project but was I debilitated for a month with an injured hand, and the basement flooded. Twice. I think I spent more time mopping in the game room than painting. So, yeah… life.

SYMBAROUM

That said, the weekly sessions are back in gear with Symbaroum and new adventures in Davokar. Honestly, you should investigate this game, if only for the artwork. It is a straightforward system with a rich setting that’s easy to teach and learn. The Free League bunch recently ran a Kickstarter for a 5E crossover box set but I’m unconvinced that was necessary. The game not only ticks all my boxes, in my experience, it runs smoother and faster than DnD. I can’t recommend it enough.

To lighten the GM load, I’m running the starter adventure from the Treasure Hunts in Davokar set. Our heroes – a Changeling Staff Mage, a Troll Singer, an Ambrian War Veteran turned Cleric, and an unfortunate woodsman turned Undead – were tasked with locating a nobleman’s missing daughter who went into the forest seeking fame and fortune.

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In Act 1, the woodsman let his thirst for revenge get the best of him and caused a major stir in Thistlehold by murdering a Black Cloak. (stabbed him in the back while he was pissing in an alley, no less)

Next morning while trying to get out of the town without being killed or arrested, the party indulged in a bit of compassion and rescued a goblin who was being mobbed by a band of thugs/wanna-be adventurers. In a second, bizarre twist of events, they managed to do it without bloodshed. (who are you and what have you done to my murder hobo friends?)

The grateful goblin, Shigg, Shigg the Deadly, not only got them out of the city secretly, he agreed to guide them to the noblewoman’s last known location for a cut of whatever loot they found. That was handy.

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Act 2 saw the party arrive at the shores of the Dim Waters, a lake of eerily smooth black water that reeks of corruption. Formerly the site of a great city, the only visible ruins are an ancient graveyard on the western shore and the fractured shell of an old temple to the east. A thin line of smoke scribbling into the darkening sky over the graveyard, our heroes set out for the tombs.

After politely but firmly ignoring a warning from a pair of Iron Pact elves, the party located the noblewoman and her team in the graveyard, who in a fit of blind avarice, not only unleashed a flood of malevolent energy (and other stuff) but manged to get themselves killed and brought back to life as semi-mindless undead. Hate when that happens, eh?

“If we bring back her head, do we still get the reward?” the Unfortunate Woodsman asked.

Unfortunately not, so into the graveyard the party went.

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As expected, the situation turned violent and the harsh sounds of clashing steel rang out among the crumbling tombs as the sun set in a molten red sky.

Ognyx, the Troll, held his own against several serious wounds, continuing to sing his battle anthem. The VIP of the night was Shigg, Shigg the Deadly, who manged to sneak around behind the very goth-looking noblewoman, clamber up her back and force a vial of the Tears of Prios down her undead throat.

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The Tears of Prios are immensely powerful. Will they bring her back to life? Kill her again – permanently this time? Who knows?

It did end the fight though. Their leader convulsing on the sodden earth, the remaining revenants were distracted and quickly dispatched. The session ended with the Cleric and goblin carrying the body out of the graveyard while the Staff Mage, the Woodsman, and the Troll investigated the graveyard. To find –

Holes. Holes and a locked metal hatch that lead to something underground. Well, well, well…

To be continued.

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In other hobby news, another cool-looking RPG crossed my radar screen, The Well.

Released by a former Wizards of the Coast writer, The Well is a twist on old-fashioned Dungeon Crawlers. Got a hard copy and after one read-through I readily recommended it to the guys as something to put in the schedule. It looks fast, fun, easy. Just the kind to thing you’d use to introduce a new player to RPGs, or fill a long afternoon of delving for veteran gamers.

Given the setting’s unusual spin on treasure hunts and dungeons, it’s an excellent excuse to finish painting a batch of Dwarves that have languished on the painting table. If it sounds interesting, by all means support an independent game designer and pick up a copy. I think you’ll enjoy it.

VIKINGS

Last but not least, I’d like to present the first war band for Ravenfeast.

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A starter warband list straight from the rule book, we’re all excited to get our viking on and do a bit of introductory pillaging as soon as I finish their rivals. Pix when they’re dry. Battle Report soon.

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That’s it for now. There’s more Zona Alfa and Kontraband on the horizon, as well as some corporate war skirmishes with Hostile Takeover.

Thanks for stopping by. Have an excellent day.