Ian came over for a day of gaming on Sunday, which allowed us to play through the last two scenarios of the Close Quarter Battles campaign for Sellswords and Spellslingers.
Our heroes had successfully stormed the bridge to gain access to the citadel in the previous scenario, now they must free prisoners held by the rioters, whilst the rest of the White Daggers storm the keep.
The table layout. Our party have just entered from the bottom edge, the prisoners are held in the tower at the top left.
A pack of some nasty creepy crawlies has come up from the cellars and attack Heimir, but he swiftly chops them up!
An early set-back, the Scenario Event card comes out and the rioters fire the roof of the building.
Some poor activation rolls see the flames start to spread!
Sarmand and Heimir get closer to the tower and Heimir chargers into a band of rioting street thugs.
But as he valiantly despatches them, the flames just get fiercer!
As Sarmand engages a second horde of thugs, Heimir charges the guard holding the tower's door.
Finally, Lanroth starts to catch up with the others.
Heimir is wounded but cuts the guard down and starts battering on the door.
The wooden gives way and the first of the captives emerges from the smoke.
As more of the prisoners are helped from the fiery tower, Heimir fortunately has a healing potion, so drinks it before he moves to cover the approach of Merlow, the rioters leader. Unfortunately this exposes him to the bowmen on the walls, arrows thud all around him, but he dodges or blocks them with his shield.
As the final two captives emerge, the tower's fiercely flaming roof collapses! Just out of shot Heimir cuts Merlow down but is now badly wounded himself once again.
The party start to lead the captives across the courtyard to safety, dodging arrows as they go.
More thugs appear, but Lanroth covers the escape of the last captives, dropping two of the thugs with well aimed shots. A group of gladiators, freed by the rioters, also arrive, but they are too far away to stop the party escape with the last captive.
Great fun, a nail biting experience as the fire spread with surprisingly speed, we just got the last prisoner out in time. If he hadn't had the healing potion, Heimir might not have made it to the end of this scenario!
Now a break for lunch and beer, enjoyed in the garden on a unseasonably warm October day!
On to the final scenario, can we save the Governor from the evil cultists?
The Citadel's inner courtyard, the party are entering from the near edge.
The mesmerised Governor and other officials stand around an eerie green bonfire, the chanting cultist high priest looks on. We had a deck of 15 playing cards for this scenario, every time a PC fails an activation roll, we turn a card over. If it is a picture card, one of the court officials walks into the bonfire and the Governor does so if the joker turns up!
Some poor activations sees one of the officials slowly walk into the blaze and be consumed!
We have the help of three White Dagger apprentices, in the top left, who have fought their way to join us. We sent them off to distract the various groups of thugs and rioters, to allow us a chance to get at the high priest. They started off well, they were charged by a horde of thugs and swiftly killed all of them!
But not before another court official walks into the fire!
The apprentices charged another group of thugs and, although one of them fell bravely, then despatched all of them as well. With many more foes approaching, the survivors beat a retreat, drawing the enemy after them....
...and away from us! Heimir, Lanroth and Sarmand now had a clear run at the high priest, "just" three cultists stood in our way.
Heimir charged the first cultist, wounding him.
Then finished him off after a swift exchange of blows.
But another victim walks into the blaze.
Lanroth now has a clear line of sight to the high priest.
But another official goes up in green flames.
Heimir engages the cultist closest to the high priest.
But more thugs turn up and advance to protect their master. Lanroth takes aim at the high priest and releases an arrow, but his bowstring snaps! (I rolled an 1).
Samand engages the other cultist, taking a wound but dealing one in return. Lanroth quickly restrings his bow (past experience means he carries several spares!), shoots and wounds the high priest, but now hthe priest's magic shield comes into play, giving him a bonus against mundane attacks for the next three turns!
Sarmand takes out his opponent, while Heimir and his foe battle on, neither able to gain the upper hand. Lanroth tries for 3 activations and fails one, but it's not a picture card! He shoots twice more...
...and two arrows thud into the high priest's chest! (This time I rolled 18 and 20!).
It's all over, the fire dies down, the mesmerised citizens and guards return to themselves and the last cultists flee. The Governor is saved in the best Hollywood tradition, just two cards remain to be drawn!
We have had a blast playing this campaign. The scenarios offer a variety of challenges, with opportunities to roleplay if it's desired, but no need if that's not your thing. Close Quarter Battles has a depth of detail that we only just touched on in this campaign and I hope Damien will write a sequel. If he does, I will certainly be buying it!
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