It’s Frostgrave, Jim - but not as we know it…….final scenario

[Doug ex-em4]

After a gap of about five years, a game of Frostgrave felt like a good idea but it would have to be solo. After making some enquiries here, I thought the 3 scenario campaign Dark Alchemy was worth a try. Settling down to organising the scenery, I realised that I had virtually nothing suitable for Frostgrave. So I just laid out a fantasy-esque table (so basically a dungeon). The main purpose of the scenery, I reasoned, is to restrict lines-of-sight and lots of walls did that. What I failed to do was add lots of obstacles to reduce movement. Therefore, it was a fairly easy, supermarket dash for most of the warband. Consequently it wasn’t a particularly good game and it looked pretty horrible.

The rather unenspiring table for scenario 1



For what it’s worth, this is how it went:

Scenario 1
The warband consisted of Silmar the Summoner supported by an Archer, a Man-at-Arms (actually a woman) and a Knight. Silmar and his selected followers in this scenario are all High Elves.

Silmar and the Man-at-Arms (MaA) both went right and legged it without incident, picking up two treasures and ending at the right hand of the two potential exit doors. Their only slight hiccup was finding that they were at the wrong door but they were able to dash to the other door unmolested.

Silmar and MaA leg it, collecting treasure en route



They arrive at the wrong door very quickly




But are able to scamper along to the right one without hindrance. Job done




The Archer and the Knight went left but were spotted by the Alchemical Monstrosity (represented here by an old Cthulhu creature) whilst picking up a Treasure.


They managed to push the monstrosity away but the Knight took damage. They then stopped to collect another Treasure and were nearly at their objective.




However the Knight, dazzled by the promise of Experience Points, turned back to voluntarily fight the Monstrosity.


This didn’t go well and the Knight only just managed to survive. He broke free but had to abandon his Treasure and give up on his quest for EP. That ended the scenario. All warband members got through and 3 Treasures were taken. No rats appeared and the lack of rough ground to reduce movement meant it was a breeze for all except the Knight and he only had himself to blame because of his greed for EP.



This was when I decided that the scenery issue had to be addressed and what I have most of is a mixture of pre-war British and near future/post-apocalypse stuff. I had an idea of a city, long buried under sand which then became revealed overnight as a result of some cataclysm. I had it buried under sand so that it would be in near-perfect condition when it was revealed again. By the time it was revealed, millennia after it was covered, many stages of development and retrogression had occurred and the world was back in a classic fantasy era. That was all fine and was an acceptable back story. I mentioned it to Mad Lord Snapcase and Vaggers (Vagabond) and  it worked for them, Vaggers in particular embraced the idea (see his topic on this subject).



And then, as I was about to set up the scenery for the second scenario I realised a much less complicated explanation for why a warband of fantasy adventurers was suddenly at large in a post-apocalyptic setting already existed and it involved a piece of scenery I made decades ago and have never found a use for -

 

The Time Portal

Doug

[Vagabond]

I'm impressed that your guys skated through the scenario and no rats appeared. As you saw I made very heavy weather of it, 3 out of 4 of the party down, although that might have been the calvados.
Even though I made a bit of a bugger of the scenario conditions it went badly mainly due to poor dice rolls.

I've played the second scenario which went very well, but mainly due to good dice rolls. I should be able to post it soon and you can see what I mean.

Anyway, ignore the deafening silence on the board and crack on with the next report. I'm keen to see how it went.
Cheers

[Tactalvanic]

Yeah, its a bit quiet - nice rightup, nice game to!

Am currently inspired by interest from young nephew in gaming something other than GW stuff, so lining some items up to hopefully get some games in for Frostgrave, but its looking more and more like next year.

All too busy. but at least am inspired to do stuff! lacking that for a long time.

Look forward to seeing more

[Grumpy Gnome]

Always great to hear folks are enjoying Frostgrave, especially with less frosty 🥶 environments. 👍

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Excellent beginning to this scenario. Love the time portal too, the idea and the model. Roll on the next episode.

[Doug ex-em4]

I'm impressed that your guys skated through the scenario and no rats appeared. As you saw I made very heavy weather of it, 3 out of 4 of the party down, although that might have been the calvados.
Even though I made a bit of a bugger of the scenario conditions it went badly mainly due to poor dice rolls.

I've played the second scenario which went very well, but mainly due to good dice rolls. I should be able to post it soon and you can see what I mean.

Anyway, ignore the deafening silence on the board and crack on with the next report. I'm keen to see how it went.
Cheers

The value of having a comment from a star name like Vagabond is that it creates interest - thanks, Vaggers and welcome back from the Very Grim North. You’ll be relishing the luxury of being back in The Grim North.

Yeah, its a bit quiet - nice rightup, nice game to!

Am currently inspired by interest from young nephew in gaming something other than GW stuff, so lining some items up to hopefully get some games in for Frostgrave, but its looking more and more like next year.

All too busy. but at least am inspired to do stuff! lacking that for a long time.

Look forward to seeing more

Thanks for the comment and I think FG may be just the thing for your nephew.

Always great to hear folks are enjoying Frostgrave, especially with less frosty 🥶 environments. 👍

Thank you - I hope people are not put off by their lack of Frostiness - FG will play anywhere, really

Excellent beginning to this scenario. Love the time portal too, the idea and the model. Roll on the next episode.

Thanks, m’lud. I have the next scenario nearly written up - I may post in a couple of episodes rather than all at once.

The first part of scenario 2 I hope to post later today. As my fellow Piddlers know, I was otherwise engaged yesterday.

Doug

[Doug ex-em4]

Dark Alchemy Scenario 2

After braving the perils of the Alchemical Monstrosity, Silmar’s band, reinforced by Tremulous the Warhound, are faced by a sheer cliff, pierced by an intriguing door.





Being a band of rapacious adventurers, there was no doubt as to their next move. Led by Silmar, they approach the door. He starts to mentally run through his library of "opening" spells. At the same time, he attempts the unlikely expedient of trying the door. Somewhat disappointingly, it opens immediately.






‘Follow me" cries the intrepid wizard and the whole band do just that. As Tremulous, bringing up the rear, enters what appears to be a room, the door silently closes behind them. Instantly, they are in total darkness and quickly disoriented. As they blunder round trying to light torches and hoping to find a way out, they become aware of a dim glow which looks like a doorway. And so it proves to be. Silmar reaches it first and his approach triggers some magic causing the door to open. But not on hinges as doors commonly do. This door slides sideways into the surrounding wall.

Silmar leads his band through the doors into a grey daylight. And into  a world both wondrous and dreadful. Behind them, is the magical doorway of a type unknown to anyone in the band.


 


Before them, a shattered world with buildings and objects the like of which are unknown to the awe-struck adventurers.






Next - Into the Ruins


Doug

[Tactalvanic]

Well thats certainly a change of ruined scenery for them

Hope whatever they encounter next is set to stun

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Looking good, keep it coming.

At the same time, he attempts the unlikely expedient of trying the door. Somewhat disappointingly, it opens immediately.

       

[Doug ex-em4]

CONTINUED


However, the lure of Treasure (with a capital “T”) soon overcomes their awe and they advance into the strange city…….





……little realising that already their presence had been noticed







The boney denizen of the ruins rushes across the scattered wreckage and launches a frenzied attack on Tremulous the warhound. The hound turns to face his attacker and realises that he is facing an animated skeleton. But not just a run-of-the-mill, everyday animated skeleton. Oh no; this bag of bones has a distinct glow about it with occasional little flares of flame. It’s as though the thing was on fire. And, indeed, it is…! Because this is a BURNING SKELETON…! <Sorry, I should have given a warning before using capital letters which can be quite alarming. If anyone has been distressed by this, I apologise>.

The hound and the skeleton are locked in battle but neither can land a blow. However, the hound takes damage from the heat emanating from the skeleton’s bones.




While this is happening, another BURNING <sorry> skeleton appears although it is out of sight of the adventurers. It senses there are intruders but it knows not where they are so it blunders about randomly.






Silmar and the Knight and Archer spy Treasure and advance greedily upon it, leaving Tremulous to fight on. However, a third skeleton appears and attacks the Archer who deals with it quickly.





Further back, the Man-at-Arms joins in the fight between Tremulous and the skeleton and between them, overcome the creature.





Silmar leaves the Archer to collect the nearest Treasure and heads for another trove further on. Tremulous moves towards the archer.




More skeletons appear





Looking back in the direction the band has come from, we see Tremulous has encountered another skeleton. In the background, the Knight has scaled a fence to nab some Treasure in the yard of a ruined building.







Tremulous has dealt with his opponent and has continued after Silmar and the Archer. The Knight has lifted the Treasure but been mobbed by a couple of skeletons.





 He takes burn damage but succeeds in breaking free. He gets over the fence into the next ruin but the skeletons follow him and more are coming up. Tremulous is making sure no more appear from the other direction. Meanwhile, Silmar has left the board with the Man-at-Arms and the Archer with a Treasure trove apiece.





The Knight is sorely wounded from burns so decides, as in the first scenario, to abandon his Treasure and run for it. Sadly, he is overwhelmed by skeletons and is downed. By this time, Tremulous has exited the board following Silmar and the others.





The game ends with all party members exiting the board except the Knight. Three Treasure tokens have been secured. Now, it’s time to calculate Experience earned and what Treasure has been gained. This can be added to what was earned in the first scenario which I forgot to allocate before this one. Also, the fate of the Knight must be determined. Dead? Injured? Survived unharmed? We’ll see…….


Doug


Note: Some people may just have noticed that the BURNING SKELETONS don’t look like they’re actually burning. This is because they’re not - funnily enough, I didn’t happen to have any BURNING SKELETONS in my collection. So these are ordinary skeletons, pretending to be burning

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

BURNING SKELETONS

Surely, for the sake of verisimilitude, you could have doused your skeletons in petrol and put a match to them, just for the photographs?

Great report, I hope the Knight makes it, ready for the Spreading Flames. Sounds like you will definitely need some combustible material for that part!   

[Vagabond]

Surely, for the sake of verisimilitude, you could have doused your skeletons in petrol and put a match to them, just for the photographs?

That's exactly what went through my mind as well.

Great introduction through the portal and the scenery looks good, especially the walls with wire mesh on top, Ireally like them. 
Shame about the knight, hope he makes it through the dice rolls. Maybe next time he should just leg it across the board.

Be careful with the use of CAPITALS it can be most distressing to your more sensitive readers.

Crack on with the next scenario, I've got it set up on the table already but I'm not being as creative as you with the scenery.

[Doug ex-em4]

Surely, for the sake of verisimilitude, you could have doused your skeletons in petrol and put a match to them, just for the photographs?

Great report, I hope the Knight makes it, ready for the Spreading Flames. Sounds like you will definitely need some combustible material for that part!   

Thank you, I’ll pass on your concern to the Knight. You’re right about the skeletons - I have been very remiss in fudging this important aspect of the scenario.

That's exactly what went through my mind as well.

Great introduction through the portal and the scenery looks good, especially the walls with wire mesh on top, Ireally like them. 
Shame about the knight, hope he makes it through the dice rolls. Maybe next time he should just leg it across the board.

Be careful with the use of CAPITALS it can be most distressing to your more sensitive readers.

Crack on with the next scenario, I've got it set up on the table already but I'm not being as creative as you with the scenery.

Thanks you - those walls are just the printed ones from the old em4 Combat Zone set with the usual car repair added. I’ve also got the table set up for scenario 3 but I suppose I have to sort out the Experience stuff first.


Doug

+++++stop press:cthe Knight survived undamaged but is not available for the final scenario. I’d better check and see if I’m allowed a re-placement
D

[ced1106]

Thanks for the session report. One of the reasons I don't play Frostgrave is that its scenarios keep calling for specific terrain -- and only once. While I can "fix" this, I'd rather not, especially since Frostgrave doesn't have other things I'm looking for (eg. campaign events, creatures that overlap my miniature collection), and other miniature skirmish games I can look into.

[syrinx0]

Thank you, I’ll pass on your concern to the Knight. You’re right about the skeletons - I have been very remiss in fudging this important aspect of the scenario.
+++++stop press:cthe Knight survived undamaged but is not available for the final scenario. I’d better check and see if I’m allowed a re-placement

Harrumph. Oh sure, the knight whacks all the strangely burning skeletons on his way to finishing off the adventure but can't put this to bed due to some last minute rule?  Obviously a prejudice against not combustible participants! Hopefully he can overcome this unexpected issue.