Skeletons

Six of the seven skeletons from one of the new Games Workshop games - Warhammer Underworlds I think? Though these ones appear to be no longer available...

They were gifted to me by General Ballroom - I think in an attempt to get me interested in playing. We tried a couple of games and it was OK, but I'm not really that interested in the skirmish/boardgame crossover or anything especially Age of Sigmar related. So they languished.

I was tempted to paint them for Frostgrave, but the thick GW bases put me off as they wouldn't match the rest of the collection - but then I thought they might make ideal adversaries for a Sellswords and Spellslingers scenario. Some sort of barrow raiding activity - perhaps leading to the wrath of a Necromancer or something.

They are gorgeous models, went together beautifully and really push the limits of plastic sculpting tech.

Now, I just need to actually *write* the scenario.

Sellswords and Spellslingers - Wolf Hunt

I decided to try a little mini scenario of my own devising for Sellswords and Spellslingers.

In this case the party would flee down a valley pursued by a pack of howling wolves.

Someone on the Song of Blades and Heroes Facebook page had already devised cards for wolves and  big boss wold so I used those.

The party simply has to exit the far end of the board without ending up as wolf meat.

The valley of death!

Very quickly the first pack of wolves attack Dilberry

But, in an unlikely display of martial prowess he sees them off.

Zank Frappa deploys fireballs to deal with a new set of minions 

But still they come and Wensleydale finds himself the object of lupine attention

Dwarf to the rescue!

Wensleydale wisely makes himself scarce

Leaving the dwarf to deal with things

Then Dilberry gets the pack treatment

Just as escape seems likely Frappa falls into a bear trap.

The wolf pack begins to close in.

But with a might heave the wizard limps off, leaving the elf to taunt the pursuing pack.

A fun little diversion.

I think the wolves started a bit far away (the leader wolf never saw combat) but as the reinforcements began to recycle and pour on it got a bit nervy for a while...

I think I'll make some tweaks and run it again a coupe of times.

Sellswords and Spellslingers - Defend the Village

I decide on another game of Sellswords and Spellslingers. Looking through the scenarios defend the village seemed like another good low level scenario to play.
As written the scenario calls for you to draw a random monster to attack the village, however I decided that I'd continue the narrative from the previous game and have the Minotaur they fled from (with the healer) as the evil protagonist.

The peaceful village of Runny Bottom.

Suddenly the silence is shattered by some pretty loud mooing! (the random roll for the monster stuck him right next to the wizard! Stealthy, these Minotaurs)

Zank Frappa immediately backed off and hurled fire. To no real effect.

Suddenly a door swung open and a goblin leaped at Wensleydale. Fortunately the halfling chopped him down without too much effort.

Dilberry peppered the partially bovine brute to not much effect.

Frappa did manage to roast some beef, but then he said the words wrong and forgot ho to do spells any more.

Wensleydale went bravely a long way round from the Minotaur to rescue the grumpy little girl.

However Dilberry dropped his arrows, which made the Minotaur finally get moving - toward the nearby halfling.

Meanwhile Frappa had caught sight of something shiny amid the beer barrels.

Just in time the Dwarf came to the halfling's aid

The sound of battle attracted some goblins (and scared the girl off)

And then my camera ran out of power...

However the dwarf had cut down the rampaging Minotaur (Frappa and the elf both claimed to have weakened it first) and despite a sneaky ambush on Wensleydale the party were able to chase off the goblins and secure the village.
Hurrah!

A fun but quite quick game. the cards were kind and the Minotaur largely stood still and took a load of fireballs in the face.

The scenario doesn't detail which minions or wandering monsters you should use. i went with the goblins the party had fought in previous games, though I suppose bandits would have served the same purpose.

Starting to think I might need to write some adventures of my own...

Sellswords and Spellslingers - visit to the healer

Enthused by the game yesterday I decided to continue a mini campaign for Sellswords and Spellslingers.

Returning in triumph to the hamlet of  Lower Dribble the party were well rewarded for driving off the predatory Orcs.
Frappa, still suffering the effects of his wounds stumbled off to bed.
Thrung grabbed some silver pieces and headed to the bar.
Dilberry boasting of how his archery had saved the day was challenged to demonstrate his bow skill and duly lost ten silver pieces when he failed to find the target
Wensleydale attempted to take advantage of the celebrating villagers by relieving one of his purse. Only fast talking saved him from a beating when his attempt was spotted

The next day Frappa was no better - the gash in his leg had begun to smell funny.
Rousing the dwarf from his slumber beneath the bar table the party set off into the mountains in search of a healer of Wensleydale's acquaintance.

As the four approached the humble shack high in hills Dilberry's keen eyes caught sight of something.
Bandits, heading toward the healer's shack with evil on their minds

The healer's humble abode

Fierce bandits

"Two Hammers" Colinson, the bandit king

To the rescue!

Oh, the bandits have raced ahead.

What? A Minotaur!

Those bandits have got quite a head start here.

An ambusher. swiftly dealt with, cleared Thrung's fuzzy head

A bandit charged Dilberry, who miraculously shot him right between the eyes first time.

Wensleydale starting searching the corpses for cash

Frappa's fireball aim was off. Not helped by "manna fluctuations"

The healer was dragged out by brigands, but Thrung raced to the rescue as fast as his short fat hairy legs would allow.

Soon the bandits were laid out.

Unfortunately the kerfuffle knocked over a pan and the shack burst in to flame.

More bandits suddenly arrived.

And an ambusher rushed at the dwarf.

The party decided a hasty retreat was in order.

Especially with the Minotaur getting rather close

Thrung took on "Two Hammers"

And smashed him to the ground whilst Frappa turned tail

The bandits closed in

At this point Wensleydale tripped and fell. And couldn't get up for ages.

Another bandit unwisely trifled with Thrung's chopper

Even Dilberry got attacked

But proved up to the task

Twice over

Finally Wensleydale stood up

To find himself loser than he really wanted to be to a Minotaur

Putting on a burst of speed he joined his companions mere yards from safety...

And despite trying their hardest to mess it up eventually they all faded away into the bushes laving an angry Minotaur and some bandits behind.

This was really hard work.
I kept failing rolls every single time I picked up the dice. The bandits were at the hut and a wandering Minotaur had arrived before most of the party had moved.
Only a bit of excellent combat from Thrung and Dilberry prevented this turning in to a massacre.
And even then I failed five simple rolls to get the last members off the table - one more and the Minotaur would have had the halfling for breakfast!