WHEN NIGHTMARES COME - Balkans Case 1920s Game 5

 Scenario Five: He's Fallen in the Water!!!

The clues gathered in the previous encounter indicate that there is a hidden entrance to the Werewolf pack’s lair on one of the small, uninhabited islands on the edge of the lagoon. The island is partially man-made dating to the 1300s but was abandoned in the 17^th century after it had repeatedly flooded.

 

Location: A collection of buildings, ruins and jetties, partially submerged in water.

Time: Evening, Visibility is Gloomy for turns 1-4, Dark for turns 5-6.

Deployment: As the party have arrived together, deploy all Hunters on same edge, by the boat.

 

Scenario Special rules

Jumping a gap of 1” is as per the rules (-1” from movement). Hunters, Cultists and Werewolves can jump gaps between jetties/boats of up to half their move distance (reducing their movement accordingly), but need to pass a die roll. Dark Spawn roll 1d6, Hunters use their Body Primal Attribute. If they fail, they slip and fall in the water. Resurrected Corpses cannot jump!

Climbing out of the water requires a successful action. Figures can use their free move, but still need to pass a die roll. Dark Spawn roll 1d6, Hunters use their Body Primal Attribute.

The water is waist to chest deep, so it can be waded through at half normal speed.

 

 DARK SPAWN DEPLOYMENT

Turn 1: 2 Reanimated Corpses

Turn 2: 2 Reanimated Corpses

Turn 3: 4 Reanimated Corpses

Turn 4: 1 Werewolf and 1 Reanimated Corpse

Turn 5 1 Werewolf and 2 Reanimated Corpses

Turn 6 2 Werewolves

 

The initial table layout, the hunters enter from the gondola on the left hand side.

Turn One; Roberto rushes up to the closest POI and finds a clue, whilst Sophia runs past him heading for the portal. Pip and Penfold head along a wooden jetty towards the POI on the opposite side of the table. Tow resurrected corpses enter the table, unfortunately one form the portal just in front of Sophia. The corpse lumbers towards her but fails to attack on this occasion!

Turn Two: Penfold jumps across to the portal and mines it for arcarna, then closes it down, while Pip moves along the jetty towards the POI. Roberto charges into combat with the resurrected corpse attacking Sophia, but it dodges his attack. Sophia slips out of the melee without harm, then casts a Barrier spell, forcing Roberto and the corpse apart. Two more resurrected corpses appear, one of them behind the magical barrier, the others close in on the hunters.

Turn Three: Sophia successfully casts an Elemental Fury, destroying both the corpses in front of her, then moves up to the portal and extracts arcana before shutting it down. Roberto aims and blows the pursuing corpse's head off, then runs towards the next POI. Pip and Penfold stumble around a bit (due to failed Terror tests). Four more resurrected corpses enter the table and the two already present close in on the hunters, one contacting Pip, but missing with it's attack.

Turn Four: Penfold forced the corpse attacking to retreat using a Repellent, then threw an improvised grenade destroying the two closest to the POI. Pip then raced up to the POI and searched it, finding another clue. Roberto aimed and shot the resurrected corpse crossing the bridge, then ran to the next POI, followed by Sophia. The corpse previous forced back lumbered up and attacked Pip, but failed to hit him. A Werewolf and another resurrected corpse entered from the last two portals and rushed towards the Hunters.

Turn Five:  then ran Roberto searched the POI, finding a clue a revealing the nexus, fired at the werewolf and missed, then moved back towards the nexus. Sophia rushed along the quayside towards the nexus, whilst  Roberto acted as rearguard. Penfold trapped the corpse attacking Pip with a snare, then rushed towards the nexus. Pip slipped out of combat with his foe, running after Penfold. The werewolf caught up with Roberto and slashed at him twice. Roberto avoided the first strike, but the second caught him, causing a wound. At this point Roberto's nerve failed him and he dropped to the floor (failed Dread roll!). Two more resurrected corpses and a second werewolf entered the fray, all closing in towards the nexus.

Turn Six: Penfold destroyed another corpse with an improvised grenade, then moved to guard the bridge leading towards the nexus from the oncoming walking corpses. Pip ran to the water's edge, took careful aim and shot the werewolf attacking Roberto, then moved back to join Penfold. Sophia used her arcane skill to close the nexus down (avoid the arrival of two more werewolves!). The surviving Dark Spawn rushed forward, one of then attacking Pip, but he dodged their attack.

Technically we had won at this point, but with two resurrected corpses (one in melee with a Hunter) and a werewolf still in play, we decided to continue. With Roberto's help, Pip despatched the corpse attacking him, Sophia zapped the werewolf with her last spell and Penfold took out the final corpse with another grenade. Job done!!!!

Another close thing, things had look decidedly dodgy at times, but all the Hunters survived to fight on another day.