Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Patrice on April 19, 2016, 03:41:46 PM
Title: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Patrice on April 19, 2016, 03:41:46 PM
Pictures and AAR of a game we played some weeks ago at the "Convention ludique et imaginaire du pays de Pontivy" (C.L.I.P.P.) in Le Sourn (Central Brittany).
(This adventure was part of an "arthurian" campaign.)
In the fifth century, somewhere in Caledonia (today's Scotland), four small troops arrive in a valley from different sides, led by: – Talorc mac Uirp, a Pictish leader (brother of Pictish petty king Nectan Mac Uirp, NPC, whose daughter married the son of a Sub-Roman British noblewoman, Marwena, in a previous game). Talorc is in bad terms with his royal brother and he wants to take some lands for himself. He also heard that a terrible Irish giant has arrived in this area, he wants to enquire because it could mean that "Scoti" (Irish) invaders are advancing again on Pictish lands.
– Marwena, a Sub-Roman British noblewoman. She is going to visit the family of her stepdaughter (her son has married the daughter of the Pictish petty king Nectan Mac Uirp). She travels with Owein map Riwalaon and his men; she doesn't understand why he suddenly decides to take another road.
– Owein map Riwalaon, a Sub-Roman British chieftain. He agreed to escort Marwena because he wanted to negociate with the Picts. On the road, he heard people say that a giant holding a magic spear has arrived in this valley; so he decides to go there (because he thinks that, as nobody can find the Holy Grail, perhaps it could be easier to look for the Holy Lance?)
– Grima, a Sub-Roman British chieftain. He also heard about a giant in the area, and his magician thinks that such a giant probably has treasures or magic artefacts. He had already sent four of his warriors to enquire, but they did not come back.
Grima and Owein are enemies, because Grima betrayed Owein in the first game of this campaign and there is a bitter feud between them since (actually it became so obsessional that the Game master had to decide that their warriors said they were tired of dying for it!)
– Eogan mac Fintain, a "Scoti" (Irish) chieftain. He wants to take lands; and he has heard that a Fomoir (an ancient supernatural race in Irish mythology) managed to sail to Caledonia and is hidden in this area. The Fomoire are supposed to be an almost extinct species, and the Scoti certainly don't want any of them around! And Eogan's druid reminds him that these giants owned powerful and interesting secrets.
The valley! The marsh in the center is hidden in the fog. We can see some huts, and a "broch" (an ancient, half-ruined, tower and settlement).
The four chieftains may have heard that other troops are approaching, but they don't know exactly who and where from. So each player puts only two of his warriors at two different places of his table edge, only one of them is the real troop; after two game moves the positions are revealed… …and the two old enemies, Owein and Grima, find they are facing each other:
The Scoti have found a small group of local Picts living in the broch (the small kid is the younger brother of one of them). After some threatening moves, these local Picts decide not to resist. In the tower the Scoti find a Sub-Roman British prisoner, he is the lone survivor of the patrol sent by Grima before the game; the local Picts thought they were spies (which is quite true), they give this prisoner to the Scoti.
Meanwhile, Owein deploys his bowmen as rearguard (always fearing a new treason from Grima) and decides to explore the marsh with most of his troop:
…it takes time because the fog prevents them to see where there are going (they have to make some moves at random). A lonesome Scoti scout is also exploring the marsh, but he goes another way and they cannot see him, although he can hear them.
Owein is uncertain of what he could find in this mound, so he advances all his tactical strength to face any possible danger: his spearmen, bowmen, bard, monk… ::) lol
With some effort, two spearmen manage to push aside the flat stone which closes the entrance of the mound …and find themselves facing a very big and strong warrior armed with bronze weapons:
The spearmen in light tunics cannot resist such a foe. Owein dismounts and comes to fight, supported by the songs of his bard and the prayers of his monk. After a few melee rounds, the giant falls down! Owein cuts his head, as per custom.
In the meantime, the Scoti and the Picts have begun to fight! And, strangely enough, fog appears between them when warriors need to be protected from arrows (and when a druid slightly moves his hands)...
The Scoti warriors of Eogan mac Fintain are eventually victorious over the Picts of Talorc mac Uirp. The Scoti have gained new lands in Pictish territory.
They take with them the Fomoir's head; a couple of Tuatha Dé Danann prisoners (another Irish mythical race) they found with him; and a very strange heavy throwing spear with fish teeth around the blade. Later, some people who see them on the road believe that it is the Holy Lance; others think that it's something else.
Article in the local newspaper Ouest-France: http://www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/pontivy-56300/le-cest-de-vivre-une-aventure-4038776
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Harry Faversham on April 19, 2016, 05:05:29 PM
??? That looks an excellent game, who makes the castle/keep please? ???
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: wolfkarl on April 19, 2016, 06:29:06 PM
What a great looking game! Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: OSHIROmodels on April 19, 2016, 06:57:17 PM
Very good :)
cheers
James
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Calumma on April 19, 2016, 09:35:16 PM
Great game with excellent scenery!
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: commissarmoody on April 19, 2016, 09:51:16 PM
Looks like it was an excellent game
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Furt on April 19, 2016, 10:00:13 PM
Awesome! :-*
Love everything here - looks great!!
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Duke Donald on April 19, 2016, 10:01:10 PM
Fantastic game and a great read!
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: dbsubashi on April 20, 2016, 02:42:54 AM
Very nice! Who makes the Lady Marwena figure? I needs one...
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Jacksarge on April 20, 2016, 08:24:05 AM
Bravo! An excellent looking game, terrain & figures are great.
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Ehouarn on April 20, 2016, 08:43:40 AM
Lady Marwena's figure is an old Prince August Lord of the ring (from the 90's).
The tower is a scottish "broch" made in scratch-building by our friend Jacques, the only one of us wearing a mustache, who was playing the scots invaders in that adventure.
We had a great time playing this game, and I did appreciate the semi-legendary background wich mixed the mythic Formoire and the search of holly relics
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: shadowking1957 on April 20, 2016, 09:17:30 AM
Superb, brilliant minis and table and great game
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: DonVoss on April 20, 2016, 09:49:02 AM
Great narrative, love all the details and names and everything....:)
Cool buildings and miniatures too.
Love your AARs, very inspiring.... ;)
Thanx, Don
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Patrice on April 20, 2016, 11:15:49 AM
Thanks guys. :)
Yes the "broch" is scratch-built, Jacques says he made it in cardboard textured with ready mixed filler.
Title: Re: The Giant in the Valley (Argad arthurian AAR)
Post by: Rob_bresnen on April 20, 2016, 04:27:19 PM