Temple of the Cyclopes - Sellswords and Spellslingers

 I realise I have been somewhat lax writing up some of my Sellswords games of late. I have been running a campaign for three of my regular gaming buddies, so I remembered to take some pictures of the latest game.

The intrepid adventurers have journeyed through the giant-spider infested Haunted Forest, avoided becoming a snack for the Spider Queen, and fought off the attentions of an increasing number of one-eyed giants.

Now they have reached their goal, the ruined Temple of the Cyclopes, lost for centuries deep in the forest. Rumours abound of the riches and magical treasures that still can be found within, by those brave/lucky enough to survive the journey.

The Temple of the Cyclopes, the PCs entry point at at the two doorways behind the gold-domed structure at the top of the picture.

The Temple viewed from the player's side.

Ambush! Henry's forester is ensnared in the web of a small spider that surprised him from a dark recess in the ruins. These minor foes would prove to be a particular nuisance to the PCs and would actually inflict more HP damage on the party that their larger brethren or the Cyclopes themselves. Their habit of spitting a sticky web at their victims as the charge out of hiding was most effective.

No sooner was one of the little critters despatched, than another appeared.

Trap! Mark's archer didn't notice the web strands until he was caught in it's sticky embrace!

Mark's axeman holds the doorway against a larger spider.

While Henry's party find themselves stalked by another giant arachnid.

Yet another ambush by a little spider.

As Colin's party engage a cyclops, they didn't notice the cyclops champion rushing towards them.

Another view of the desperate melee with a one-eyed giant.

Now Henry's wizard is in trouble!

Having finished off one Cycl;ops, Colin's archer and hero must now fight another. This melee would see the archer taken out of the fight (he had already had to be healed from multiple small spider bites.

As Mark's badly wounded axeman tries to escape, the is surprised by another cyclops turning up.

Henry's forester takes cover from a rock-throwing cyclops!

It was quite a bloodbath! Three of the party died, but they managed to retrieve all their bodies before they withdrew, and all of them recovered with medical attention. The Cyclopes proved a particular challenge for the party. I had made them fire-resistant (ignore first point of DAM from fire-based attacks) because of the players over reliance on fireballs. They had napalmed their way through various previous scenarios. Henry's wizard had Frostblast, which would have been particularly effective against the cyclopes, except that he rolled a 1 for casting early on in the game and lost all his magic!

In the end the party all survived and escaped with a chest of 150SP, a magic bow, magic ring amd magic bracelets. Now they just have to work out what the magical items actually do!!!

New Warband for Mutants and Death Ray Guns

 I heve been playing quite a lot of post apocplypse games recently, using Ganesha Games rules, Mutants and Death Ray Guns. I've played around a bit with assorted groups of humans, mutants and androids but wanted to do something a little bit different.

Then I remembered something I'd previous seem on the Ramshackle Games website, a range of mutant plants. Curtis had designed this range specificly for Mutants and Death Ray Guns, and as he offered a superb deal if you buy the entire range as a bundle, it seemed rude not to.

So here they are, ready for their first outing on the table.

The whole gang.

I am already thinking of a Sellswords and Spellslingers scenareo involving a haunted forest, so I can see a cross-over use for these.  

UPDATE: I actually got these guys on the table yesterday with Colin. He was using his newly painted Ultra Simian Hybrids (official Ganesha Games minis for MDRG available from Alternative Armies). Despite the difficulties activating the plants and the face that most of them are slow moving even when you do activate them, they performed surprisingly well. They certainly were fun to play!

And yes, they wiped the apes out!!!

First Draft of My New Scenario Book Finished - Huzzah!

 I have finally got the first draft of my next Sellswords & Spellslingers scenario book off to the publisher! Huzzah!!

I hope to hear from Andrea in a couple of weeks if any re-writing is required. If not, then it's over to Genesha Games for proof-reading, type-setting, illustrations etc.

This is a campaign of linked adventures for fortune-seekers on the lost continent of  Quarra. Foes include undead by the bucket load, Dark Elf pirates and the wraith of a long-dead sorceror!

Here are a couple of play test piccis!

SELLSWORDS & SPELLSLINGERS campaign using Close Quarter Battles supplement

We have been playing our way through Damien Foken's superb Close Quarter Battles campaign book for SS&SS. This is a fantastically detailed work, if you haven't got a copy yet I would thoroughly recommend it.

We are playing with three PCs:

Heimir - a skilled swordsman (who has now aquired a talent with throwing knives).

Lanroth - an archer who also has some skill with a sword (and is also the party's healer).

Sarmand - the party's spell caster, but more of a swordsman who has aqquired a little knowledge of magic. 

 I haven'y photographed all the games and didn't intend to write up detailed AARs, so this is more of a taster!

Side Quest One - The Market

A peaceful market day in Luurkana city.

Sarmand, Lanroth and Heimir survey the scene for undesirables.

The party split up to hunt for thieves.

Heimir approaches a serving wench.....

...who turns out to be a (very) well disguised thief!

Lanroth identifies another good-for-nothing and takes him down.

A well armed Street Gang Lieutenant tunrs up and attacks Sarmand, whos the villain down.

Act Three - Making New Friends

Ambushing thugs move out of the shadows, while a crossbowman takes aim from a balcony.

Sarmand moves onto the staircase to gain a height advantage against the advancing thugs, zapping the crossbowman with his Magic Dart.

Heimir finds two thugs no problem (especially as Lanroth had dropped the third as they rushed in).

Sarmand and Lanroth dispose of the Street Gang Lieutenant commanding the ambush.

Lanroth and Heimir take on another horde of thugs.

The last crossbowman is blown from his perch by Sarmand's magic.

Side Quest Four - Lady Delamoon

The PCs escort the lady across a garden fraught with dangers.

While Heimir tackles two thugs, Lanroth drops one of the cultists with well placed arrows. Sarmand blasts another cultist with his magic.

Heimir and Sarmand hold off a cultist as Lanroth gets the Lady to safety.