Tales from Aumera

[Sunjester]

Absolutely brilliant! A great example of world building, I really enjoy your unique take on things.

[Frugalmax]

Wow! Great stuff. I love the repurposing of the toys and the fenbeast especially- you nailed the "swamp creature" look! Keep it up!

[Little Odo]

Thank you so much for sharing - I will now toddle off to read your Workbench thread on how you built your world over a nice cup of tea.

[Spinal Tap]

Thank you so much for sharing - I will now toddle off to read your Workbench thread on how you built your world over a nice cup of tea.

There's much more than just this world in there so you'll have to do some skimming.

I've been looking at your blog the past few hours and was surprised with Leeds and Castleford in your Doggerland world.

I was brought up around Normanton and my mum and dad lived in Cas until recently.

I'm over in the Halifax/Huddersfield area now but know Padrisimus on here is local too, somewhere near Ponte iirc.

Back to world building I've definitely got some way to go compared to what you've done,  it's amazing.

[Basementboy]

I love the conversions on this thread! Those skeleton beasts look incredible, really great stuff.

[Spinal Tap]

This adventure is different as not only am I using my random room and foe generation, but also Frostgrave rules with the Perilous Dark solo activations.


34th Day of Lesser Aweaxe


One

The party start to rush through the Inn’s main entrance and immediately spot the golden portal; they also see four huge spiders readying their attacks.

Maelgwn, aided by some brave villagers kill two, while the other pair are killed by the remaining party.


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Two

Flushed with success Maelgwn and Dorganna move into the portal to a partially flooded room, slowing them to half their normal speed.

The room contains some useful looking potion and a chest of treasure. It also contains three more spiders and a Ratman, as per the random room and foe system I use.

Dorganna wounds the Ratman, but only a little, it does not stop the creature attacking and heavily wounding Maelgwn, who is obviously out of action as he staggers back through the portal to the Inn.

Logan emerges from the portal and kills a spider but takes a heavy wound in the process whilst the remainder of the party finally overcome the resilient Ratman and remaining spider.


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Three

The next room is a largish storeroom with just a couple of spiders which are easily killed, Logan takes the opportunity to take a healing potion found in the previous room.

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Four

 This is a large room with metal cells, a guillotine, and a bridge over the deep water at the furthest side.

Three new creatures, glowing yellow grubs, slowly advanced towards the heroes, these were slower than the spiders but also much tougher.

Also a Ratman instantly attacked one of the townsmen as he entered, but is, in turn, killed by Lain and another townsman.

Dorganna and Amphis rain arrows into the two maggots on the bridge but only Amphis hits.

The remainder of the party enter the room and, after an extended battle, kill the grubs and head out of the room.


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Five


The party find themselves in a small cramped corridor with 4 spiders which are all quickly killed.

They try to door to the West but this only leads to an empty storeroom; the Eastern door is next and reveals a huge room with altars, magical items and a sarcophagus full of skulls, one of which glows with a light not unlike the portal. It seems obvious that this skull is the key to the portal and it is guarded by two Ratmen; Ratmen who are even more powerful and dangerous than their brethren already seen.

Logan and the three townsmen attack the nearby spiders and a grub. The spiders are killed but one of the townsmen is wounded. Even worse, Logan falls to the ground, out of action and possibly dead.

The Ratmen guards move and attack the townsmen as the remainder of the party enter the room, killing another spider but struggling the harm the Ratmen significantly.

Another Ratman appears through a grate and the battle intensifies; eventually the Ratmen fall as does the final grub.

Although most of the party are wounded none of them are serious, except, of course, Logan.

Taran grabs the magical glowing skull and then lifts his friend and employer from the ground and heads back.

The party rush to the portal, pass through and destroy the skull, the portal winking out of existence as they do.


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After the Battle

Maelgwn and Logan are both checked at this point; Maelgwn will fully recover but Logan is dead (used Frostgrave injury rolls).

The party have gained treasure and potions but none useful for this situation.

They have three choices: accept the death and bury Logan in Glissom; Return to Umber 3 days away but lose the contract with the Merchant they are escorting to Tyr, seek a healer and pay 500 silver to resurrect Logan or; continue to Tyr (5 days away) for resurrection, checking at the next town, Temorr, for a healer as they pass through.

Resurrection will need to be done within 7 days to be successful.



The party choose to press on to Tyr and start their journey early on the 35th, knowing that arriving later than the 41st means their efforts were in vain.


Meanwhile, on the very same day of the 35th of Lesser Aweaxe, a ship from Ekaerand berths in the city of Umber, despatching trade goods and three passengers, the Wizard Trystan Dimera, his apprentice, Heulwen Tarse and Rondheim, Captain of the Guard of Castellen School of Wizardry.



Both stories to be continued.

[Mikai]

Really lovely set up and an interesting read!

[mikedemana]

Great terrain -- sounds like fun! Why did you switch rules sets? Just curious...

Mike Demana

[LouieN]

A great set up. 

[Spinal Tap]

Thank you folks.

Great terrain -- sounds like fun! Why did you switch rules sets? Just curious...

Mike Demana

Sometimes the scenario just doesn't fit the ruleset. In this case Sellswords and Spellslingers doesn't work, you can clear rooms or get through them without the enemy getting any activations.

The story I want to tell for the new group will usually be using Frostgrave rules but the Mongrelfolk  will be back to Sellswords.

[Frugalmax]

Looks like a really fun game and a great set-up! Thanks for sharing!

[Spinal Tap]

35th Day of lesser Aweaxe.

While Maelgwn and his party are loading their friend's body onto to cart in Glissom, the Misthaven, a privateer trading vessel from Ekaerand, is approaching the docks of Umber.

Aboard are three adventurers, Trystan Dimera, Heulwen Tarse and Captain Rondheim.


Trystan Dimera is a recently accepted wizard of the Castellan School on the shore of Ekaerand. The School has given Trystan his first assignment: to travel to Aumera, raise a small force and recover the components which can be reassembled as the Cross of Fintabulos, a powerful relic from the days before.

The relic was broken and hidden during those days by persons unknown and clues to it's whereabouts have been collated by the School for many years.

Trystan has been provided with a map identifying these locations, as well as the aid of a young apprentice and the Captain of the Guard.


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Heulwen Tarse, an Innkeeper's daughter, showed her Talent at the age of 22 whilst it is more normal for it to appear around 10-12 years of age. Despite the late arrival her abilities have developed at such a rate that she has been deemed suitable to accompany her master of this quest.


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Rondheim, Captain of the Guard, is a skilled fighter and negotiator. He accompanies the two Thaumaturge wizards in order to recruit and control a supporting levy of fighters.


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The Map


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Notes

This party will be travelling Aumera using the same timeline as the Mongrelfolk; their stories are separate but may clash if the happen to meet at some point.

They have been given a diary of their own for me to record on paper but their adventures will form Tales of Aumera on here along with their fellow adventurers.

I will be using the Frostgrave rules along with some from the supplements as well as some bits from Stargrave and The Silver Bayonet, however, the travel and weather rules will remain as per the Mongrelfolk - the only difference will be that this party is large and well armed so with only be waylaid during travel on a D10 roll of 10 rather than the D6 used elsewhere. Similarly they will only accept a side quest with a D10 roll of 10.

Above map was created by random dice drop, moving them only as far a necessary to fix them to a on land feature. The number on the dice will work as follows:

The treasure found during each game will be checked to see if it is part of the relic, this will be determined by rolling on or under the D6 amount on a D10, so some locations are more desirable than others, if not then it will be rolled on the Frostgrave tables as usual to help the wizards progress.





36th Day of Lesser Aweaxe

Maelgwn's party arrive at the Temorr but the town has no healer and they are forced to push on.

Meanwhile Captain Rondheim has assembled a motley group of troops and is preparing them to travel; they will visit the ruins to the West of Umber, there is little chance of finding a section of the relic but, seeing as it is on their way, they might as well check.




37th Day of Lesser Aweaxe

Trystan's party are camped outside the ruins by the evening of the 37th and will enter in daylight. There have been some signs of life in the place and a night time expedition is considered unwise.


Maelgwn and his party have just settled for the night when they hear groans and stumbling in the forest around them - Zombies. (Probably the best random foe roll for this scenario).

They must clear the area of Zombies or last until the end of the night (Turn 8 )


To Be Continued.

[mikedemana]

Multiple stories being juggled! Sounds like fun...

Mike Demana

[Spinal Tap]

Using Sellsword and Spellslinger rules, the foes were rolled randomly along with their numbers and starting location. The party will need to either destroy all Zombies on the field of battle or survive until morning (8 turns). Destroying the foes will grant most of a good nights sleep but holding out until dawn will half the distance they can travel to following day.


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The Mongrelfolk – night of the 37th Day of Lesser Aweaxe


‘Awake, awake’ cries Dorganna who’d taken first watch ‘ there’s Undead abroad in the woods and they are all heading towards us’.

In moments all the party have grabbed their weapons and are preparing to defend the camp. The merchant hides under his cart, next to the body of Logan Roe.


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Maelgwn performs the Talker ritual and raises a Fenbeast on his second attempt to harness the magics involved; he orders the creature to move out and defend the group. As the beast lumbers forwards Dorganna heads North West and attempts to fire off an arrow at a group of slow moving Zombies, unfortunately snapping her bowstring in the process.


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Amphis has more luck, moving out and killing a lone fast moving Zombie Runner. Now the battle becomes more difficult as all the Undead rush forward as one. Mostyn is attacked by a small horde of three Zombie Walkers but manages to destroy one, whilst Taran holds his position, guarding Logan.

Small but fierce episodes of hand to hand fighting occur resulting in more Zombie deaths but no wounds to party members.


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At Maelgwn’s command the Fenbeast attacks the large horde near Dorganna while she replaces her bowstring, but only kills one. Surprisingly it takes a wound itself in the melee. Lain moves towards a Fatty Zombie but is ambushed as he moves by a Runner which inflicts a nasty wound to him.

Mostyn despatches another walker aided by Amphis who, in turn, destroys the final one in that horde. The remaining two hordes combine in their assault of the Fenbeast but inflict no damage whilst losing another of their number. Taran joins the beast in it’s battle and also kills a Zombie. Taking it’s independent attack the Fenbeast reduces the horde number to five.

The Runner who attacked Lain is ended by an attack from Maelgwn who then moves to the Fatty and splits it’s skull in two. Amphis and Dorganna both fail to hit and then Amphis is again ambushed by a Runner. Making no mistakes this time he fires off a rushed shot and embeds his arrow in the creatures brain.


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As Mostyn hurries to help Taran and the Fenbeast the two, in extended battle, destroy all the five remaining Zombies and the battle is won in short order, allowing the party to regather by their fire, tend their slight wounds and return to a good nights sleep.

The following morning the party were sufficiently refreshed and were soon prepared to hurry to Tyr to save Logan.



This battle ended up a little easier than anticipated as the dice and cards were so kind. However, the next five cards were all spawn cards so the party may well have been overwhelmed with just a few bad rolls. Apologies for the lack of pictures for the later actions but I got a bit carried away with the game.




Search for the Cross of Fintabulus - 38th Day of Lesser Aweaxe


Trystan’s warband move from the road into the ruins early in the morning and spot a number of skeletons with bags which may contain treasures. They also see strange ghoul like creatures who, on spotting the party, howl, bringing forth guards from underground in three locations.

Trystan orders the group to advance towards to skeletons as quickly as possible as he’s sure the howling will call more and more guards.



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Essentially this is a bastardisation of a standard Frostgrave game with the overall mechanics of Isher’s Weapons Shop from Perilous Dark. The table is set up but it will be a couple of days before I get to fight the battle.

[mikedemana]

Good stuff! Looking forward to the next battle, as well...

Mike Demana