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.

______________________________

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."

______________________________

"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.

______________________________

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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Surprise at Cobb's Gate: A Mithril War Scenario for SONG OF BLADES AND HEROES

INTRODUCTION

A strong, warm wind suddenly blew across the woods and fields from behind Glythwyl's encampment. He turned to look up into the newly sunlit sky and saw the dragon on its approach. As much as he disliked his enemies, he felt pity on them for what they were about to endure. "Come," he said to the men gathered around him. "Fear not this beast. He attacks the keep, and it is for us to deal with any who attempt sortie or escape."

The sudden, hot dragon-wind blew the sole pennant right off the top of the tower keep. At a cry from the watch, Valera rushed to the battlement. Looking out to the horizon, she spotted the coming dragon. So this was how the elves planned to drive them from the fortress. Valera cursed under her breath. The tower would crumble beneath the dragon's assault, and they would all simply be crushed beneath the rubble. Better to meet them in the open she thought; at least there they had some chance. "Form up!" she cried. "We'll meet them on the field below!"

The dwarven warchief watched the advancing men and elves on the plain beneath his concealed position on the hilltop. "Finally it begins," he thought. He would wait until the men and elves were fully engaged, and in the confusion of the melee, he would take both enemies in the flank.

BOARD

A 3' x 3' board set up as follows:

FORCES

Human Warband
Valera, Human Leader (60 points), Q3, C3, Leader
Ogre Warrior (50 points), Q4, C4, Long Move, Big
Human Archer (44 points), Q3, C3, Shooter (Long)
Five Human Warriors (30 points each), Q3, C3
Total Points: 304 (8 models)

Elven Warband
Glythwyl, Elf Commander (100 points), Q2, C5, Leader
Small Dragon (80 points), Q3, C4, Flying, Big, Shooter (Long)
Wood Elf Archer (50 points), Q3, C3, Forester, Shooter (Long)
Two Elf Warriors (36 points each), Q3, C3, Forester
Total Points: 302 (5 models)

Dwarven Warband (Only enter the fight as per the special scenario rule)
Brogg, Dwarf Commander (95 points), Q2, C4, Leader, Fearless
Cavern Fiend (62 points), Q3, C4, Fearless, Huge, Savage
Two Dwarf Crossbowmen (24 points each), Q4, C3, Short Move, Shooter (Medium)
Three Dwarf Warriors (34 points each), Q3, C4, Short Move
Total Points: 307 (7 models)

INITIAL SEQUENCE OF PLAY

To start, the elves move first, and the dwarves not get a turn at all, until they enter as per the special scenario rules. At that point the turn sequence changes.

SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES

Entry of the Dwarves: The dwarven warband sets up concealed in the tress on the hill and does not enter the game until one third of the combined models of the elves and humans (i.e., any combination of five models from the two sides together) has been eliminated. Once that number of models has been eliminated, the dwarves become visible instantly (even if mid-turn) by moving just outside the trees in a line at the foot of the hill. Prior to the dwarves' appearance, no model of the human or elven warbands may move into spotting distance of the hidden dwarven force.

Surprise: The appearance of the dwarves will surprise the other two warbands on the table. The instant the dwarves appear, normal play stops and all models of the human and elven warbands still on the table must immediately make a morale check.

New Turn Sequence: Once the dwarves appear and the morale checks have been made, there is a new turn sequence: dwarves then elves then humans (the latter two activate together if allied, otherwise separately and in that order).

Game End: The fight then continues until two thirds of the total models engaged from all sides in the battle (i.e., any combination of 14 models from all three warbands together, including the initial 5 lost by the men and elves). At that point the fight ends, and the warband with the most victory points is considered to have held the field, while the other two run away.

VICTORY POINTS

These are calculated as follows.

For the elves:
6 points each for eliminating Valera or the Ogre prior to the arrival of the dwarves
3 points each for eliminating other models prior to the arrival of the dwarves
3 points each for eliminating Brogg or the Cavern Fiend
1 point each for any other model eliminated after the arrival of the dwarves

For the humans:
6 points each for eliminating Glythwyl or the Dragon prior to the arrival of the dwarves
3 points each for eliminating other models prior to the arrival of the dwarves
3 points each for eliminating Brogg or the Cavern Fiend
1 point each for any other model eliminated after the arrival of the dwarves.

For the dwarves:
2 points each for eliminating Glythwyl, Valera, the Ogre or the Dragon
1 point each for any other models eliminated
X for eliminating the last remaining figure of either the human or elven warband, where "X" is one half of the eliminated warband's accumulated victory points, fractions rounded up

If a warband is completely wiped out, it forfeits all of its victory points.

GO TO NEXT ENTRY

The Hamlet of Kragg: Mithril War Scenario for CHRONICLES OF BLOOD

Prologue: The war was dragging on, and casualties were mounting on both sides. The elves of Jhanakai gave better than they got, but in the long term they would never be able to absorb their losses the way the men of Maradon could.

Ambassadors from both Jhanakai and Maradon had been negotiating with the Dwarves of Kabad'zem, but the Kabads were being surprisingly difficult, and were so far unwilling to back either side. Strategists in the elven and human camps began to suspect that if the war did not end soon, the Kabads would wait until both their countries were spent, and then march into the Dran Feldar to take it for themselves, virtually unopposed.

The Jhanakai commanders learned from their spies that to bring its warbands up to full strength, Maradon had begun to hire Black Band mercenaries from the Obsidian Isles, and had also started to recruit warriors from the Ogre clans on the Maradon border.

In response, Glythwyl and the other elf captains had been ordered to make contact with the various Barbarian tribes native to the Dran Feldar. The barbarians did not trust any of the civilized peoples very much, but had always gotten on better with the elves than the others. The elves generally were able to coexist with them, and tended not to destroy the barbarian hunting grounds, or drive the barbarians off of them, when they made settlements in the Dran Feldar. Glythwyl now began to successfully round out his own forces with barbarian recruits.

When the Maradon commanders learned of the barbarians' entry into the war on the side of the elves, they were not above sending in their mercenaries, and even their own men, to burn out the isolated barbarian villages. And so Glythwyl found himself posted to aid the barbarians in the hamlet of Kragg in the defense of their home. It was not long before the first Maradon warband came upon them.

Terrain and Deployment: The scenario is set up on a 90 cm x 90 cm board, representing the edge of the Hamlet of Kragg. The troops begin 60 cm apart.

Image made with free Battle Chronicler software.

Map Key and OB:

Maradon Warband (Blue Circles on Map):
Captain (C)
4 Human Warriors (W)
2 Black Band Mercenaries (M)
Ogre (O)

Elven Warband (Green Circles on Map):
Glythwyl, Captain (G)
2 Elf Warriors (E)
2 Elf Archers (A)
3 Barbarian Warriors (B)

I've set this up as a Chronicles of Blood game (using individual soldiers rather than regiments), where I'll be controlling the elven warband. Terrain placement, other than the edge of the village, was random. Deployment was according to the CoB rules. For some of these models I used existing stats from CoB, for others I created stats.

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Ambush on the Forest Road: Mithril War Scenario for SONG OF BLADES AND HEROES

Lord Granthos drummed his fingers on the heavy wooden table as he pondered the guard's report. Beragon and his band had been gone a fortnight and no report had come back. This could only mean that the raid had failed. In which case offensive action on the part of the elves could be expected at any time. Granthos turned to the guard. "Report to your sergeant. Tell him I want increased patrols. Twice as many, sent out twice as far. If there are enemy troop movements, I want to know about it long before they get here."

*****

Glythwyl was waiting for his last scout to come in before evening fell. His men had reported a number of human warbands patrolling the area. Without the troops to mount a major offensive, his orders, for now, were to fight small actions whenever and wherever a favorable opportunity presented itself. These human patrols might just offer him that chance. When the scout returned he told Glythwyl that a band of men was patrolling the route northward through the forest to the east, and appeared to have made camp for the night.
"How far off are they?" asked the elf commander.
"About five hours march."
"Good. We'll move out now and set up an ambush just ahead of them on the forest road."

*****

The Board: The scenario is played on a 3' x 3' board covered in scattered trees with a road running down the center. The odd ruin or rock formation can be dropped in here and there as well.

The two sides set up as per the "Ambush" scenario in the SBH rulebook. The elves use markers (two for each actual soldier) to show where their soldiers might be. When they are activated or spotted, they get replaced by actual figures or are revealed as dummies (to make the markers, I simply took some inexpensive unpainted plastic elves I had lying around, sprayed them black, and voilà).

Forces:

Glythwyl's Rangers:
Glythwyl, Commander (100)
Elf Warriors (2 x 38)
Elf Archers (2 x 55)
Total: 286 points

Maradon Patrol:
Brunt, Human Leader (60)
Flux, Human Magic-User (40)
Human Archer (44)
Five Human Warriors (5 x 30)
Total: 294 Points

GO TO NEXT ENTRY

Raid on Rhal: A Scenario for SONG OF BLADES AND HEROES

Prologue: Quietly Beragon led his troops across the hills, moving toward the elven prospecting settlement of Rhal. Their mission was simple. Drive out the prospectors and secure the area so the Baron's own engineers could move in. With each faint clink of armor, Beragon gritted his teeth. "Quiet!" he hissed, barely above a whisper. Silence was paramount. The last thing they needed was to draw the attention of a Jhanakai archer before they even reached the settlement.

In his camp, Glythwyl thought for a moment. One of his scouts had spotted the group of soldiers from Maradon marching across the hills of the Dran Feldar. Heading to...? Rhal. That was the only logical choice. Glythwyl wasted no time, and called his rangers to him. "Weapons only!" he cried. "We move quickly!" Racing to Rhal with his small company, Glythwyl arrived just in time to meet the men of Maradon head-on and try to thwart their designs.

The Battlefield: A 3' x 3' area, laid out as in the image below.

Beragon's Raiders arrive at the top of the image, 

Glythwyl's Rangers from the bottom.

Glythwyl's Rangers:
Glythwyl, Commander (100)
Elf Warriors (2 x 38)
Elf Archers (2 x 55)
Total: 286 points

Beragon's Raiders:
Human Leader (60)
Human Magic-User (40)
Human Archer (44)
Five Human Warriors (5 x 30)
Total: 294 Points

Victory: This is simply an all-out battle. Whichever side retains possession of the settlement, by driving off the other, wins.

GO TO NEXT ENTRY

SONG OF BLADES AND HEROES Scenario: Counterattack at Synnaeth

Background: Though the skirmishes at Undin Wood and Ristyp went poorly for the orc invaders, at many other points on the frontier the orcs succeeded in gaining ground and capturing human villages. One such place was the village of Synnaeth. The orcs had taken the village, killing, driving off, or enslaving the civilian population, and turning the hamlet into an orc outpost. A nearby watchtower, however, overlooking the outlying fields and farmsteads of Synnaeth, remained in the hands of the humans.

Captain Burris, commander of the watchtower garrison, received orders to launch a counterattack into the village of Synnaeth against its foul occupiers. The messenger carrying the orders had flown in on the back of a young dragon named Mynnoth, who had been tamed and trained by the Magician Imbal the Wise. Mynnoth and Imbal were to join Captain Burris' attack against the orcs in Synnaeth village. The orcs, for their part, were led by Pog the Shield-Bearer [game note: proxy for a SBH orc standard bearer] and supported by a rather large troll named Maggr.


The Human Warband:

Captain Burris, Human Leader = 60 points
Imbal the Wise, Human Magic-User = 40 points
Mynnoth, a Young Dragon = 80 points
Four Human Warriors = 120 points
Total = 300 points

The Dragon is a pre-painted toy by PAPO.

The Orc Warband:

Pog, Shield Bearer [SBH standard bearer proxy] = 60 points
Maggr, the Troll = 41 points
Six Orc Warriors = 138 points
Two Orc Archers = 58 points
Total = 297 points

The Troll is a pre-painted D&D Miniature.

The Battlefield: The battlefield is a 3' x 3' surface, set up as per the diagram (colors reflect board areas important for victory purposes).

Victory: For the men to win, they must clear the green and yellow sectors of orcs. For the orcs to win, they must outnumber the men in the blue and green sectors by a ratio of 3:1. As soon as either of these conditions is met, the game ends instantly, and the side that met its victory condition wins.

Something Wicked Comes to Candlewick: a STEEL AND GLORY Scenario

Sir Titus looked at Alaine, the mayor, and Connor as the rays of the setting sun came through the windows of the mayor's house.

"I suspect," he said, "that the wraith was holding us to use our blood in some dark spell that would increase his power. He will not like having lost us, and will most likely come for us soon, perhaps even tonight."

"However," said the mayor, "until now, he only attacked our livestock. He hasn't yet come into the village to strike at any of us."

"This is true," replied Connor. "But it may be that his power has grown even with the draining of life from our animals."

Alaine nodded. "And in our fight with him, he drained life from us, making him more powerful still."

"Yes," said Titus. "We can no longer count on the runes protecting the village, effective as they have been until now, to go on keeping out the wraith. It will be up to us to stop him."

The sun dipped below the horizon, and the room went dark but for the small fire in the hearth. The mayor stood up. "Very well. We shall keep watch by night and sleep by day until the wraith makes his move, beginning tonight."

The four kept watch beginning that night, and soon they grew accustomed to resting by day and holding vigil through the hours of darkness. On the seventh night, as the moon rose to its zenith, there was a shift in the air, and a cold wind began to blow.

"This is no natural chill," said Connor.

"No," said Titus. "He is coming."

Game start, viewed from the side.

The Board:

The scenario uses a 24" x 24" board, as per the diagram:

Characters, Factions, and Abilities:

Titus (Barony): Command (gives Barony characters an extra action); Parry (blocks blows); Shield Rush (use shield as a weapon)

Alaine (Barony): Mighty Blow (does extra damage); War Horn (gives Barony characters an attack bonus)

Connor (Barony): Dead-Eye (improved bow shot); Luck Shot (alternative improved bow-shot); Dodge (avoid attacks)

Mayor (Barony): Mighty Blow (does extra damage); Shield Rush (use shield as a weapon).

Wraith (Bloodlord Undead): Death Field (drain health at a distance); Death Touch (drain health with touch); Undead (enemies need to pass a will test to move close to him).

Four Skeletons (Bloodlord Undead): None.

Special Rules:

If the wraith is slain, the skeletons are instantly destroyed.

Game End and Victory:

This is a simple fight to the death. If the Barony characters destroy the wraith, they win. If all the Barony characters die or flee, the Bloodlord Undead win.

The Warden Goes Scouting: A Scenario for STEEL AND GLORY

The Game Warden of Candlewick:

Connor, the Baron's Game Warden in Candlewick village, stepped out of his half-timbered house as the sky began to get lighter behind the trees to the east. The mayor was walking up the lane toward him. Connor set his gear down on the porch and greeted the mayor with a nod.

"They didn't come back?" Connor asked as the mayor stepped up.

"No." The mayor looked at the bow, quiver and haversack at Connor's feet. "You sure this is a good idea?"

Connor shrugged. "I'm just going scouting. Nothing else." Neither of them knew what had happened to Sir Titus and Alaine. Only that they should have returned by sun-up. "I'll be back for supper," Connor added.

"And if you don't come back at all?"

Connor grinned. "Then you'll know you have a real problem."

Connor knew in which direction Titus and Alaine had set off. Following their trail wasn't difficult. He came on the ruin a little before noon, and the tracks went from a simple marching pattern into the frenetically scattered dance indicative of a fight. No tracks led away from the ruin. "Damn."

Connor examined the tracks more closely, and saw that Alaine's had gone as far as the shadowy arches of the ruin itself. "Double damn," he muttered between clenched teeth.

Even in the bright noon-day sun, the ruin gave him the creeps. He didn't know for sure what he'd find inside, but since all the tracks from the fight belonged to Titus and Alaine, he had some idea. Their adversary had left no tracks at all. No living thing he knew of could do that.

Maybe enough midday sunlight would reach down into the ruin so that whatever it was wouldn't want to stir from its dark slumber. He nocked an arrow as he stepped into the shade of the arches.

"I'm just going scouting," he thought. "Just going scouting."

Once inside, the only place to go was down a narrow stairway that opened into a large underground chamber. As he had hoped, sunlight somehow filtered through openings high in the chamber walls and pierced the gloom like rays of sun coming through a cloud, rays that glittered and sparkled on the motes of dust that floated through them.

In the center of the floor, in the middle of a circle of strange figures traced on the stone, lay Titus and Alaine, side by side, pale as if in death, but still slowly breathing. Their weapons lay at their feet.

Connor cautiously began to move toward them, when he heard the scrape of steel on a scabbard, and the clicking of boney feet on the flagstone floor. At least he didn't have to face the horror Titus and Alaine had the night before...

Dungeon Tile by Fat Dragon

The Board: 

The scenario uses a 24" x 24" board set up as per the diagram.

Characters, Factions and Abilities:

Sir Titus (Barony) and Alaine (Barony): Both begin the game unconscious. At the end of each turn, each of them gets to make a will test. If successful, s/he breaks the sleep spell and can pick up her/his weapon to help Connor fight the next turn.

Game Warden Connor, Lowland Archer (Barony): Dead-Eye (gives him an improved chance to hit with his bow); Luck Shot (gives him an alternative improved shot with his bow); Dodge (allows him to try to avoid an attack made against him).

Two Skeletons (Bloodlord Undead): No special abilities.

The Wraith, though a formidable opponent at night, lies dormant during the day and will not come out in the sunlight, even within the ruin. It is his spell however that keeps Titus and Alaine asleep at the start of the game.

Game End: The game ends at the close of turn 10.

Victory: Based on VP. The Barony characters get 1 VP for each skeleton killed, 1 VP for each Barony character that escapes the ruin alive. The Bloodlord Undead get 2 VP for each Barony character still in the ruin at game end.

Wraith and Ruin: A Test Scenario for STEEL AND GLORY

Candlewick's Plight:

People began locking doors in the southern Barony village of Candlewick when the sun went down. The tavern was filled with tales of unnatural shadows and eerie sounds coming from the forests after dark. On the farms nearest the woods, livestock were found stone dead when farmers went to their fields in the morning. There were no marks on the animals – no cuts, no stabs, no broken bones – just dead eyes open unnaturally wide from the wild fear that filled them before they died. A messenger was sent to the baron for help.

The baron dispatched Sir Titus, a trusted Barony Noble, and Alaine, his sergeant, to investigate. Before they set out, they consulted with the baron's scribe and sage, Master Scrall, who told them of an ancient ruin in the wilds near the village. This, he believed, might be the source of the uncanny occurrences near Candlewick. It took three days for Titus and Alaine to reach the village, and they approached the ruin shortly after sunset. Soon their blood went cold as they caught a glimpse of a wraith through the trees.

The Board: 

The scenario uses a 24" x 24" board set up as per the diagram.

Characters, Factions and Abilities:

 

Sir Titus (Barony): Command (essentially gives Alaine an extra action each turn); Parry (allows Titus to block blows from his foes); Shield Rush (allows Titus to use his shield as a weapon to knock down opponenent).

Alaine (Barony): Mighty Blow (gives her a strong attack); War Horn (gives both her and Titus an attack bonus when blown).

 

The Wraith (Bloodlord Undead): Death Field (allows him to automatically drain health from anyone within range); Death Touch (allows the Wraith to attack by touch, ignoring enemy armor); Undead (enemies need to pass a will test to move close to him).

Special Rules:

There is a magic circle inscribed on the floor within the ruin, which is to be part of a blood ritual to take place at the next full moon – a ritual that will increase the Wraith's power. Each Barony character that enters the ruin can make a will test (each character can only make the test once). If successful, that character recognizes the circle for what it is and spoils it (by pouring holy water on it, scrawling over it with a weapon, etc.).

Game End:

The game is over at the end of turn 10, unless one side or the other is completely eliminated earlier.

Victory:

If one side completely eliminates the other prior to game end, that side wins. If neither side is completely eliminated at the end of turn 10, victory is based on victory points (VP) calculated at the end of the game. The side with the most accumulated VP wins; if VP are equal the game is drawn. The Barony characters receive 1 VP for reducing the Wraith to half his health points or fewer, and 1 point for destroying the magic circle in the ruin. The Wraith gets 1 VP for each Barony character eliminated.

Anger of the Heavens: First ARES Scenario Set-Up

The sky grows dark with storm clouds, and thunder rolls in the distance. Kjell, Lorna and Fjori have been hunting for three days along the ridges and ravines of the Great Rift on the eastern edge of the lands of the Valen. Three days with no luck, and the prospect of a night spent cold, wet and shivering in the wilds. Coming through the trees into a clearing, they spot the skull of one of the gigantic behemoths who once roamed Valdar in the first age. What is left of the creature's head is larger than a house back in the village.

"There!" cries Lorna, as the wind picks up blurring the landscape with leaves and debris. "Shelter! We can make our camp inside the skull of the beast!"

Lightning streaks across the sky as the three companions make for the fossilized refuge. As they do three Ral come forth from the woods on the opposite side of the clearing. On this side of the rift, they are no doubt the scouts of a raiding party, who also hope to spend the night in the comparatively warm, dry haven provided by the remains of the long-dead creature.

"Kjell!" Shouts Fjori over the wind, nodding toward the three Ral scouts.

"This our side of the rift," yells Kjell. "If they want shelter, they can find it back in their own lands!"

Across the clearing, Ilkhan steps ahead of his two companions, Nyree and Logos. With a simple tilt of his head, his message to them is clear. Stealthy scouting mission or no, he and his comrades will fight to spend the night protected from the storm.

As the two groups close the gap between them, another bolt of lightning zigzags downward striking a tree on the edge of the clearing, sending splinters swirling into the wind.

Steel is drawn, and soon one of these two bands will pay for their lodgings with the blood of the other.


Scenario Details:

Board: a 24" x 24" board, set up as per the diagram.

Entry: The Valen (Kjell, Lorna, and Fjori) enter from the "bottom" edge; the Ral (Ilkhan, Nyree, and Logos) enter from the "top" edge. All characters enter on turn 1.

Game Length: 6 turns.

Victory Points: At the end of the final turn, each side gains...
1. VP equal to the combat rating of each enemy eliminated
2. VP equal to the combat rating of each friendly figure closer to the skull than any enemy

Whichever side has more VP wins – and those characters get to spend the night in the skull, protected from the storm. The side with fewer VP suffers a morale break and all their remaining characters flee the clearing into the tempest-beaten forest.