Five Leagues turn 12 - Going Underground

You may recall that after the last encounter, our heroes were joined by a new character, who was rolled up as a 'Wildlands Ranger'.  On reflection, I couldn't think of a character and model for that fitted the description, that didn't just feel like a poor copy of Thomas, one of the existing heroes.

So I re-rolled (it's my solo campaign, so why feel guilty about it?),   The re-roll felt much better, adding a very different type of character to my existing ones, but who I can see fitting into the dynamic, and one who's background explains quite neatly how he came to be rescued from the fanatics.

So welcome our new hero, Giacomo the Witch Slayer.  Hailing from the warmer southern lands on the coast of the inland sea, he has chosen to dedicate his life to exposing the sorcerous and corrupt.  It was his chasing of the cult of the Lady that led him to Winterbourne but, on his own, he was soon overwhelmed and taken captive.  Seeing how the party are taking on the evils in the area, he has decided that working with them will be more effective than working on his own.  However time will tell if he is a genuine team player, or will attempt to manipulate the others to achieve his own ends

The model is a lightly converted Foundry Conquistador, the original helmeted head swapped for one with a soft cap (the helmet is hanging from his belt behind him).

A wandering scholar passed through the village this turn, but had nothing to offer the party other than a riveting description of his thesis on the symbolic role of root vegetable in borderland balads.  I had to pay a gold mark for upkeep this turn, the party having now grown above 8 individuals.  Nothing else happened in town, except for Gregory visiting the village priest, who forgot to bless anyone, but did suggest that the part may want to retrieve a relic that had been left with a hermit in some caves to the north, and who had not been heard from for a while.

This turn's encounter would be against the 'Taken', and would occur in a cave complex.  The party would need to search a particular 'room' (a difficulty 4 challenge).  For battle 'oddities' I rolled up 'Gloom' (no missile attacks beyond 6") which seemed entirely appropriate!  I decided that normal shooting rules would apply outside the caves, and then Gloom rules would apply once they entered the caves.

The first problem I faced was how to represent the cave complex.  As luck would have it, I'd been looking in to this very issue while contemplating how I might run one of Five Leagues scenarios packs, 'The Goblin Hills', and had come across some very nice floor plans published by Heroic Maps, and available through Wargames Vault.  I downloaded the 'Foxtail Hills: The Goblin Caves' map, printed it out and based it on a large sheet of 5mm foamcore I had hanging around.  More 2D than my usual scenery approach, but it would work.

 

The Cave complex, with the Taken spread throughout

 

 

One guards the relic's chest

 

 

 

One of the Taken guards the cave entrance

 

Will and Jocelyn peered out from the woodland at the figure at the entrance to the caves.  Although in the same filthy robes as the cultists and fanatics they had previously fought, there was something ... 'wrong' about this one, the way he moved and twitched .  "Explains why the hermit's not been heard from" whispered Will.  

 

Jocelyn narrowed his eyes, as if looking at the figure was hurting then, "I remember once, it was  harvest fair, 'n this traveller came.  Told old stories using these figures he had on strings.  Made 'em fight 'n dance and all.  Don't know why, but that's what comes to mind.  It's like somethin' else is in charge..."

 

Will knocked an arrow to his bow. "Well, let's see if they bleed like a normal man". 

The first turn's shooting was rubbish, with Jocelyn rolling he first 1, but Will soon had his eye in an dropped the sentry outside the cave.  The Taken were alerted to the party's presence though and started to move towards them.  A second Taken appeared in the cave entrance and engaged our Gregory unsuccessfully but was in turn cut down by Giacomo - he and Robert both had fast actions; normally it would have been Robert charging in first, but with Giacomo's recent captivity likely giving him a thirst for revenge, I diced off between the two of them - I feel a bit of a clash of egos may be coming on...

 

Outnumbered, and about to fall to Giacomo's sword

 

The way was now clear for the rest of the party to enter the caves.  Robert, followed by his faithful Retainer Guy, took the first passage to the right while Gregory led everyone else along the subterranean stream. 

 

 Into the gloomy caves, squeeze in everyone!

 

A Taken blocked Robert's progress - the narrow passageway prevented Guy from supporting him (I chose not to apply the normal penalty for fighting multiple opponents due to the tight space) and hampered his sword swings, but he still managed to fight his way through to a wider, bone strewn cavern, where he dispatched another.

 

One...

 

Two!

 

 

 

While Robert was cutting his way down the side corridor, Gregory was proving he could use that hammer for more than knocking in fence posts, holding the pathway beside the stream and crushing two more advancing Taken by himself, Before Giacomo stepped up and finished off the last one.

 

 

 Reinforcements arrive for the Taken

Gregory prepares to do some righteous smighting

 

 

All Gregory's smiting done, Giacomo steps in to finish off the last Taken

 

With all the enemy gone, the gang were able to search the caves at their leisure.  As well as the relic to return to the 'safe' hands of the Village Priest,  the adventurers found yet another captive of these fanatics (rolled 'willing volunteer' for a loot roll), who decided to join them, and passed on what he had learned of another camp where they had held him a while (other loot roll was 'Evidence).

 

The Dark Secrets level was dropped a further -1 (now standing only at one) , Robert, Thomas, Guy and Giacommo all levelled up.  Oswald's 'flash of inspiration' roll resulted in him confirming his desire to become an adventurer like Thomas and the others and he joined the ranks of 'Heroes'.  

Our newest party member turned to out to be a 'Wily Rogue' and also successfully rolled to become a hero, rather than just a follower.  Now I need to go and find a suitable miniature, the party is definitely growing!