Strange Aeons meets Shadows of Brimstone

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It has been a bit of time since the last scenario. My medical conditions and eye surgery got in the way of my gaming buddy and I getting together to play the game.  We are hoping that this coming Thursday, we can get together to play this next scenario out.

SA Rule Addition: I noticed that the rules only have an Arrow and Blow Gun given the Poison trait. It is a classic horror mechanism to have poison daggers/knives as well. So I have added this trait as a purchasable trait by command figures for their dagger/knives at a 0.5 EP cost.

I also wanted to reflect a "Sentry" in the game (for story plot), so made a rule for this:

Sentry In any battle scenario games in which 3+ human Lurkers are involved, the Lurker player can for the cost of 1 BP choose to have a sentry. Randomly determine (use the best method for the number of figures you have) one non-command Lurker figure to become a Sentry. That figure can be assigned a place anywhere on the board except within 5" of the Threshold starting area. Note this location on a piece of paper (unit is hidden).

At the end of each Threshold turn,  the Threshold player makes a die roll to see if they have spotted the sentry or the sentry has given himself away (by making some noise).  If the roll's result is 5-6, the sentry is placed on the board. Otherwise, he remains hidden.  Characters with the "Tracking" skill gain a +1 to this roll.

If at any point the Lurker performs an action with the sentry, he is placed on the board.

If a Threshold character ends a move in the LOS of the sentry, the sentry may sound the alarm. The Lurker player then makes a resolve test for each of his Lurker figures. If they pass, they may immediately perform one action. If they fail, they do nothing.
 
If the Threshold character's move has at any point placed it on the postion of the hidden sentry, immediately place the sentry on the board in base to base contact with the Threshold figure and they must fight hand-to=hand combat (as if the Threshold player has charged).

Clive has been given the skill of Parry from the prior scenario

Once Again Into the Breach - Part 2
This is a Battle Scenario in the Cave/Mine

Lurker Forces 34 BPs

1 Void Sorcerer (Nemesis) (13 BPs + 2.5BPs =15.5 BPs)[/size]
Skills: Improved Command, Speak Languages, Inspire
Weapon: Knife with Poison Blade
Add-on: Void Shifting.
Spells rolled: Sinister Energies. Compel Human, Compel Human      
      
Cult Leader (5.5 BPs)
Skills: Command
Weapons:: Knife with Poison Blade            

5 Cultists ( 12 BPs)

#1: Knife (1BP)            
#2: .22 pistol (1 BP)               
#3: Knife and Shotgun (3.5 BPs)            
#4: .22 pistol and Battle Axe (3 BPs)            
#5: .22 pistol and Wrecking Hammer (4BPs)

Special: Sentry (1 BP)
            
Plot Point: Flesh Eaters

The group awoke not long after the sun came up. They break camp and continue on the trek to the cave/mine.  They all hope that there will be no further encounters with these evil spawn, but in their hearts they know this is wishfull thinking.

It surprises them when they approach the entrance, that there is nothing there to hinder their progress.  Clem lights up the lantern, and they enter the cave/mine. It quickly becomes apparent, that the lantern will not be needed because there are now lit torches at regular intervals down the tunnels that they pass through. They try to take the same route they went through the last time, but it has been blocked off by a cave-in.  Joseph finds another route to the left that looks to go to where they want to go.  There is evidence on the floor that it has been well used in the recent past.

They soon hear voices talking ahead and slow down to attempt to move stealthly forward. They all can smell something like pork being cooked on a spit wafting down the tunnel from ahead. Joseph quitely rounds the corner and comes face to face with this lavender hooded and red robed figure eating a human arm in his one hand with a nasty looking knife in the other hand. The cultist yells out "HEATHEN"....  the fight is on....

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My buddy and I did get together today and played out the Scenario.  A real dooser this time. Lots happened to write up. But here is some pics from the game.

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At Start Pics for the game with initial deployments and the Objective Void Gate.

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SUBTITLE FOR SCENARIO: Juanita's Dance of Destruction.

Clive gets a -1 reduction on his resolve tests due to his horrible dreams in which he sees the Tentacled Sorcerer torturing and killing his team mates (from his accumulated Black Marks).

The Void Sorcerer and the cultist with the shotgun that is with him move towards where the sentry had yelled the alert (See first set of Pics with them in the Tunnel entranceway and Pic 1 below). The two cultists and the Cult leader also move up towards the alert calling.

Threshold wins the Initiative

Turn 1

Joseph is not phased by what this cultist is eating and after a short number of cut and thrusts, he successfully drives his hatchet into the foes forehead killing him.

Clive gets Clem to move with him over to their left while Juanita moves up behind Joseph (See Pic 2 in this post).

The Cult Leader and his accompanying 2 cultists move into the tunnel to the right to attempt a flank or rear attack against the intruders (See Pic 3).

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Turn 2

Clive and Clem moved forward a bit while Joseph moved over to the left and readied his elephant gun (See Pic 1).

The Void Sorcerer and his two Cultists moved out into the Cavern and caught sight of the Intruders. The Sorcerer immediately recognized them and let forth a howl of challange (See Pic 2). The Cult Leader and his two cultists (one with a pistol and the other with a large battleaxe) continued to move forward up the passage while not coming out and exposing themselves to the gun fire that would likely happen (See Pic 3).

See Pic 4 for an full view of the situation at the end of Turn 2.

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Turn 3

Clive charges forward to engage the cultist with the shotgun. In the ensueing melee Clive managed to get the cultist's head in lock and snap his neck. (See Pic 1). Juanita moves over beside Clem knowing that they need to protect him since he has the dynamite.

The Void Sorcerer casts a Compel Human spell against Clem which succeeds and Clem takes a shot at Joseph, but fortunately misses. The Void Sorcerer  then charges Clive. Clive gets the upper hand and causes a wound on the Void Sorcerer (See Pic 2).

Being in command range, the Cultist Leader orders his men to move out from the tunnel and engage the heretics. The first Cultist with the pistol moves out and Clem takes a quick shot at him which misses. The cultist then stops and takes a shot at Joseph which hits, but it is only a grazing shot causing no wound. (See Pic 3) The Cultist with the Battleaxe charges around the corner towards Juanita. Both Clem and Joseph take shots but miss. The cultist charges in on Juanita and they begin their fight. Juanita moves lithely back and forth avoiding her opponent's battleaxe swings but she cannot land a blow either. (See Pic 4).

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Turn 4

Clive and the Sorcerer continue their fight but neither gets the better of the other.
Juanita lands a hit on the Axeman but it is only a non-wounding flesh wound.

Clive goes defensive and holsters his pistol and draws out his fighting knife.

The Cult Leader moves forward getting ready to charge at Joseph (See Pic 1). Clem fires at him and hits but the Leader just laughs at the minor fleshwound.
The pistol armed cultist fires twice at Joseph, but misses both times.

Turn 5
Clive and the Sorcerer continue their fight and Clive does hit the Sorcerer but the knife blade passes through the Sorcerer as he Void shifts.
Juanita and the Axeman Cultist just keep missing each other.

Clem is enraged by the laughter of the Cult Leader and he shouts "I'll show you!!". He draws out and lites a stick of dynamite. He then throws the stick which lands right between the Cult Leader and the pistol armed cultist. The resulting explosion kills both the Leader and Cultist (See Pic 2).

Turn 6

The Sorcerer successfully hits Clive but does not wound him.
Juanita and the Axeman again fight with no effect on each other.

Joseph reloads his elephant gun and takes careful aim at the Axeman.

The Cultist with the Wrecking Hammer charges Clive. Clive is so engrossed with his fight with the Void Sorcerer and doesn't see the swing of the hammer until it hits him in the head (3 wounds). Clive goes down with a Major wound. (See Pic 3)

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Turn 7

Juanita is hit by the Axeman but it only grazes her.

Joseph having aimed at the Axeman takes his shot, but still misses.

The Cultist with the Wrecking Hammer now charges Clem. Clem takes a shot and hits, but does not wound the cultist. The cultist is then upon him. (See Pic 1). Swinging his Wrecking Hammer in a wide sideways arc, its head slams into Clems chest and he goes down badly wounded. Juanita hearing Clems scream of pain is able to maintain her composure and carry on her fight.

Turn 8

Juanita's anger turns into fury. She screams out loud and with a divine lunge, drives her knife into the Axeman's heart killing him. (See Pic 2)

She then turns around and sees the cultist who just took down Clem. Her initial charge onslaught is countered, but her fury still grips her and in a beautiful lower hand swing plunges her knife under his chin into his head killing him. (See Pic 3)

The Void Sorcerer moves forward and then casts his Sinister Energy spell at Joseph. Joseph becomes engulfed in what appears like electrical energy and fall unconscious to the ground. (See Pic 4).  Juanita knows it is now her and this henious thing left. She grits her teeth and lifts her arm motioning him to come and get it.

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See Pic 1 for the two who remain standing

Turn 9
Juanita holds her ground.

The Void Sorcerer charges towards her and engages her in hand to hand. Juanita is not prepared for the tentacles grabbing for her head and disengages away in Revulsion. The Void Sorcerer follows her (See Pic 2) but doesn't engage again because he wants to try and bespell her with his one remaining spell.

Turn 10

Juanita moves away throught the tunnel doorway.

The Sorcerer follows and unsuccessfully tries to cast the Control Human spell. He enters a frenzied rage at this failure and charges Juanita (See Pic 3) and successfully hits and wounds her, but she is only stunned (face up) See Pic 4.

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Turn 11

Juanita is down, but not out. She writhes back and forth avoiding the Sorcerer's knife strikes.

She can feel the poison in her system starting to affect her but not debilitating just yet.

She stands up and makes a Hail Mary thrust with her knife which hits and causes 2 wounds on the Sorcerer. Her thrust was right into its left eye (Major Wound) and the Sorcerer's Void Phasing didn't prevent the hit. He falls down "DEAD"(rolled snake eyes on the Wound Table. (See Pic 1)

Epilogue

Threshold has won the scenario. Clive's Nemisis is dead.  Clive has another Black Mark and a Major Injury of "Amnesia". Clem has a "Chest Wound" reducing his constitution by 1

Juanita falls unconsious not long after the fight has ended due to the Poison.It is some time before the four members of the team regain consiousness. Once awake, Clem gives Joseph and Clive instructions on setting up the dynamite to demolish the Void Gate. This time the explosion is successful and the Gate is destroyed. Clem (whose ribs on his right side are many times broken from the hammers blow) is barely able to walk so the rest of the team make a stretcher to carry him back to the Homestead. One mission/adventure is done. What will be in store for them now......   

[rcketscientst]

I really enjoyed the story and pictures.  Thank you.

I have a question about something.  (OK, well, lots of things, but I will focus for now.)  In Turn 3, the Void Sorcerer cast Compel Human on Clem, made Clem shoot at Joseph, and then charges Clive.  That seems like 3 actions to my understanding: (1) casting, (2) forcing Clem to shoot, and (3) charging.

I am new to Strange Aeons, so I realize I do not understand the rules yet.  Just looking for a little illumination in the darkness.

Cheers

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Note this post edited.

I double checked the spell's rule and rcketscientst is correct to point out my error.  The Sorcerer would have had to expend his second action to force Clem to shoot at Joseph. Since he missed, it did not affect the game, but I will now keep this in mind for all future games. Thanks for pointing this out.


Lembit

[Dan55]

A great write-up.  You have very imaginative scenarios.

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Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.  My buddy and I will not be able to get back to the gaming table until sometime later in January, so as an end of year posting that will set the scene for the group's next set of adventures, I offer you this....

The Team makes it back to the Homestead without further incedent. Clive knows that they need to get Clem back to Brimstone as soon as possible for a doctor to tend his wounds, but they are all doggedly tired and will catch some sleep first.

That night, Clive's dreams are particularly horrible and he knows that he has to do something to get rid of the cursed ring on his left hand.  In the morning he decides that a drastic measure needs to be taken.  He speaks with  Joseph and a harsh decision is made.

They get a good fire going in the kitchen oven with a torch brand held therein.  Juanita and Joseph tie down Clive's arm and hand to the kitchen table.  He downs a a full bottle of liquid courage.

Joseph tries first to cut the finger off, but some unseen force turns away the blade each time he strikes down the knife's blade. Joseph looks a Clive and Clive says, "Take the whole hand off".  Joseph prays to his Ancestors to aid him in this task of ridding Clive of the evil.  He raises his trusty tomahawk as they all hear what is like a Indian Pow-wow chanting growing in the room and Joseph brings the tomohawk down hitting about 4" up on Clive's arm from the wrist.  The Tomahawk cuts through and severs the hand off with a blinding flash and thunderous boom sound. The table shatters in two while the hand seems to gain a life of its own and scurries off onto the floor. Then in a blink of an eye, it vanishes. 

Juanita amazingly quickly recovers from the shock of the severing and brings the torch to Clive's arm where it was severed to cauterize the open wound and stop the bleeding. Clive was silent during the severing, but now screams out in pain. Just before he faints into unconcious, he hears in his head "Your hand will always know where you are, and so I will get my due."

[Reviler]

I am really enjoying your scenarios and narratives. I look forward to what is next!