The Fyrn Valley

Mines and Mists

The barbarians in the Dran Feldar were now raiding dwarven camps and mines, killing as many dwarves as possible and collapsing mine entrances wherever they could. The dwarves did not have enough engineers to both work the mines and fortify them, at least not yet. So they began setting armed warbands to protect the mines and camps.

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Brogg's dwarves had spent the night guarding the entrance to a new mine in the Fyrn Valley. About half were on watch, and half were asleep. The fire had gone out, but the sky grew lighter. The fog which had settled in over night slowly drifted across the flat, broad, valley floor. Brogg approached the watch and stared intently at the rolling cloud of mist. A guard looked inquiringly at him. "Something isn't right," Brogg said. "Wake the others."

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"The bones say the spirits will favor us," whispered Nirini. Torolf looked at the shaman. He knew her value in a fight. In battle, her spells slowed the enemy and blasted him to dust. But the barbarian chieftain did not put much stock in omens and portents. The fog was already lifting, and Torolf had wanted it for surprise. He knew the mouth of the dwarves' new mine was just across the valley floor. It was now or never. Torolf signaled to the rest of his band with a shadowy movement of his arm, and an almost imperceptible hiss.

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Terrain and Deployment

The board is 36" x 36" and represents the flat bottom of a wide valley, lined with trees. At one end is a rock formation that marks the entrance to the new dwarven mine. The dwarves set up within 9" of the mine entrance; the barbarians set up within 9" of the opposite board edge.

Opposing Forces

The Dwarves
Brogg, Dwarf Commander (95 pts, Q2/C4, Leader, Fearless)
Two Crossbowmen (48 pts, Q4/C3, Short Move, Shooter: Medium)
Three Elite Warriors (138 pts, Q3/C4, Short Move, Steadfast, Fearless)
Total 281

The Barbarians
Torolf, Barbarian Leader (66 pts, Q3/C3Leader, Fearless)
Nirini, Barbarian Shaman (35 pts, Q4/C1, Fearless, Magic-User)
Barbarian Archer (44 pts, Q3/C3, Fearless, Shooter: Medium)
Four Barbarian Warriors (144 pts, Q3/C3, Fearless)
Total 289

Victory Conditions:

Either side wins by eliminating the opposing force by kills or morale failure. Additionally, if Nirini, the barbarian shaman, can successfully cast a ranged attack spell on the mine entrance (mine = C3), she causes it to collapse, and the barbarians win immediately, regardless of casualites. If Nirini is killed, all the barbarians must make a morale check, as if losing a leader.

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