Untold Goose Tale - a tale of Robin Hood

“Ah, ‘tis you. Come in!  It’s a raw night out there, so shut the door and come join me.  We’ve a fire in the grate, a flagon of the goodwife’s best ale, and one of the landlord’s famous meat pies fresh from the oven (just don’t ask where the meat’s from, we don’t want a visit from the King’s Foresters).  I was just about to tell all another tale of the famous Robin Hood, and his outlaw band.  A tale of foul play over fowl…

It was a winter’s night much like this one, and Little John and Will Scarlet (in disguise of course) were taking an ale or two in a house at the foot of the castle rock in old Nottingham. Christmas was on the way and the Yule logs had been cut, and thoughts were turning, as they do at this time of year, to feasting and merriment.

Now it happened that one of the Sheriff’s men was also in that night, and well into his cups already. Telling all who would listen how his master had heard that farmer Oswald had the finest geese in the county, and how the Sheriff was partial to goose and had declared that he would have those geese on his table come what may.  Now that farm rightly belonged to Sir William, as fair a landlord as you’d find in those parts, but the Sheriff claimed it should be his, and had caused poor Sir William much grief over it.

“Well”, say Little John to Will, “this does sound a most fine chance to tweak the Sheriff’s nose!” And so, bearing a fresh flagon of ale over to the Sheriff’s man, they set about finding out all they can, before returning to Sherwood and Robin, to lay their plans…”

This Untold Tale was originally intended as a pre Christmas game, but we weren’t quite ready in time.  The Sheriff’s men had to try and drive the geese off their table edge, while the outlaws had to get them into the woods.  This could be done by chasing the geese or physical picking them up (although the geese would fight back).  The geese would also move randomly every turn, and we added some goose specific random event cards (such as ‘feather up nose’, ‘slip on goose poo’ and ‘very angry goose’).  The Not So Little Miniature (NSLM) took the outlaws, and I was the Sheriff’s men.

Some of the geese headed straight for the pond, as if they knew something was up!

Both leaders initially hung back as their fellows tried to round up the awkward fowl.

While a herd of sheep held up a frustrated Guy of Gisborne.

First goose to the outlaws, driven off into Sherwood.

A fair old skirmish develops in the middle centre over a group of geese

Tuck distracts one of the Sheriff’s men, “can I talk to you about our saviour, Jesus Christ?”

One of the soldiers about to get his goose

Until the traitorous bird runs to Little John.  A frustrated Sheriff decides to take matters into his own hands.

Having lost his goose, the soldier decides an outlaw head is the next best thing.  It doesn’t end well for him…

Gisborne has more success, cutting down a (not so) Merry Man.

But meanwhile, Friar Tuck saves another goose from the Sheriff’s table.

Gisborne corners Robin himself, and a frantic duel ensues.  Although on paper the better swordsman, luck is on the hero’s side and he manages to defeat the overconfident knight!

Is that another goose in the hands of the outlaws?

With most of his men defeated or captured, his Christmas feast now looking gooseless, and losing to a smelly outlaw, the Sheriff plays the only card he can!

A resounding victory for Robin Hood and the Merry Men!

All in all, we had a great time.  Rosa enjoyed it, and really got into character, as well as getting involved in ideas on how to tweak and refine the game.  For example, rather than rolling the same result in a fight resulting in a draw, she decided that the drawn dice should be rolled off again until we get a result -  which feels much more like a back and forth duel and far more appropriate. 

It look as if the next game will involve some sort of trade for the captured Gisborne.  Watch this space for another tale…