A Trio of Adventurers

 Hi!

I've finally got round to getting my current adventurers illustrated, despite the campaign having been going for about three weeks now!

Fael is a northern barbarian who was exiled for her ability to summon elementals, something the tribal druids greatly disapproved of. She has since moved south where she has been inhabiting the Whispering Arch, a ruin that lies deep in the ancient forest that lies to the north and east of the Axeblade mountains.

Modwen the goat. Modwen is Fael's companion who followed her into exile and is usually the first into the fray, bowling over foes with his mighty horns. 

Arud is the latest addition to the party and is a golem, an artificial being who Fael encountered outside the Dwarven settlement of Crucible. He's desperately trying to track down his master but his cortex has been badly damaged so he has very little in the way of memory.

I'm really enjoying playing out the campaign as the trio move further into the wild regions of Aeroth and it's been great fun to see how they develop using Brutal Quest as the basis for their encounters as well as my trusty story cubes to move things forward. 

Fael is proving to be an outstanding ranger type of character who has repeatedly spotted potentially hazardous situations as well as a surprisingly decent summoner. Modwen is turning into a bit of a beast in close combat but has been seriously wounded in an encounter with an Elven Golem and the trio is currently hiding out in a cave to avoid a search party that an as yet unknown antagonist has sent out from the Iron Spire to hunt them down.

Arud is proving to be a bit of a fire magnet having been reduced to his last few points of damage in pretty much every encounter he has but he still keeps on going (he's been set on fire twice, pincered by giant insects and mauled by a mutant bear as well as speared by a crazed Goblin!)

Hopefully I'll get chance to get some figures sculpted for the three in the not too distant future as I suspect they're going to be making regular appearances in my games going forward but it may be a while as I've potentially got a house move coming up in the next few months as I'm moving from Dundee to Perth Waterstones to take on a new role which is exciting but also mildly terrifying when it comes to the prospect of packing up all our tat and finding a new home for the first time in six years.

We shall see how things go and hopefully a move will be relatively straight forward and I'll be able to get back to proper gaming soon but in the short term I suspect most of my hobby related content will be pen and paper only as everything is going to be packed up and put into storage until we can sell our place and find somewhere new.

In the meantime, I will keep posting as regularly as I can and All the best!

Richard

Rangers of Shadowdeep Project Log Part 3: Zombies!

 Hi!

I've finished the last of the zombies I need for the first scenario of my Rangers of Shadowdeep project:

This gives me enough stuff to play out the scenario as I have a load of giant rats and spiders done already as well as some random civilians but looking at my heroes and characters I find myself wanting to make a more varied cast of figures to choose from rather than just heavily armoured Boar Company troopers and characters.

This may mean that I've got to put off playing the first game a wee bit but I think it's going to be worthwhile in the long run as I'm really enjoying sculpting and painting my own stuff!

Speaking of which, I have been soldiering through my lead and plastic pile painting whatever odds and ends I have needing done and for the most part it's been pretty fun but I picked up one of the multipart Orks with the intention of adding to my Goff Ork warband but I found the process incredibly tedious as the figures lack character and I almost gave up. 

I'll post pictures of the warband as it grows as I do want to finish off the rest of the handful of Boyz but the more of the stuff of my own that I make and paint, the more I tempt myself to have a go at just sculpting all my own figures. Sadly this is a somewhat slower process but rather rewarding so I'll see how I get on with the next of the leadpile figures and find out if I enjoy painting it more as it may just be the more modern figures that I find tedious.

I'll try and get some more pics of the other gubbins I've been working on up tomorrow but in the meantime, All the best!

Lockdown 2.0 Project Log Day 110: Pinecliff Guards!

 Hi!

I've been beavering away with a random selection of sculpts as well as some other odds and ends that I've been meaning to get finished!

Garn the Ferox and Sen of Pinecliff

Pinecliff is a settlement that lies deep in the eastern foothills of the Axeblade mountains and is a trading outpost on the wild frontier. Due to the lawless nature of the region, Pinecliff operates a large militia force with all able bodied adults being trained in the use of weapons and combined with their fierce independent spirit, the inhabitants of the town are more than capable of fending off most raiding parties. 

In times of dire threat, they can call upon the Order of the Tower, a small order of templar knights who inhabit several tower monasteries in the surrounding area as well as the Dwarves of several local clans who have treaties with the town ensuring defence of the valuable trading post in times of need.

Sen is a typical guard of the town and is accompanied by his Ferox, Garn. Ferox are savage and loyal creatures that are popular companions to many on the frontier and Garn is a typical specimen. 

I was really inspired by The Dark Crystals Fizzgig to make a small, ball like furry and somewhat savage animal that can make for interesting companions and foes when needed in my games and it was so much fun sculpting the little guy, I've got another five ready to paint!

Sen has been slowly built over the course of two lockdowns from odds and ends of putty and I quite like his understated colours and gear. I'm also really pleased with how his shield turned out with it's crest of Pinecliff emblazoned across it and will need to make a couple more guard troops to make for handy henchmen, hapless guards or whatever other small forces I need!

In other news, I managed to pick up a couple of Warzone figures off Ebay for under a pound a piece and have got the first painted and just needing a base and he'll be getting added to my sci-fi warbands and look forward to introducing him and his companions into a future game.

We're also approaching the end of the lockdown here in Scotland and as such I'll not be able to post daily from the 26th (all going well!) but will try to ensure that I keep posting regular updates of my assorted projects, but until then, All the best!

Lockdown 2.0 Project Log Day 107: Spider Swarm!

 Hi!

Following on from my swarm of Rats, I've now got a swarm of Spiders to menace my adventurers with, be it Fisher's Inquisition team or my Boar Company!

Now I fear and hate spiders so I was in a bit of a quandary as to how to represent the eight legged beasties in my games but after a bit of experimentation, I churned out eight of them using super sculpey.

Much like the rats, they're not very detailed but do the job for low level menaces for adventurers from throughout time and space and will be making a handy addition to my collection. Yes I know they're not anatomically correct for proper spiders but they're as accurate as I'm willing to sculpt them!

In other news, I have been struck by the very different approaches by two different companies who have the licenses for some of my favourite games, namely Res Nova with Warzone Eternal and Clockwork Publishing with Chronopia.

Without getting into the ins and outs of it all, I can't help but feel that Res Nova is developing a very professional approach that will have a tight focus on a small skirmish game and a kickstarter that should deliver just what they promise as everything we hear about the process has been professionally done with people who seem to know what they're doing. While it would be awesome to see lots of figures and artwork, I'm really pleased and reassured by the approach they're taking and feel a great deal of confidence that this new Warzone is going to be just my cup of tea!

 Clockwork publishing on the other hand has been showing sneak peeks of digital renders for a while now and seem to be trying to cover everything from solo and coop gaming to skirmish to mass battle all in one go which I can't help but feel would be better suited to future releases rather than trying to jam it all in their first release. Similarly, the digital renders we've seen thus far aren't inspiring me with too much confidence. Yes digital sculpting allows for dynamic poses but just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done. Also the poses chosen for some have been awkward with ropey or soft detail. I can't help but feel they are trying to do too much and will end up pleasing no one but hardcore fans of the original, many of whom still prefer the old sculpts...

Only time will tell as to which will succeed and I really hope they both do but even without any physical product to show, I'm much more inclined to put my money towards Warzone Eternal than Chronopia.

But enough of my ramblings! Tomorrow will see another game of Planet 28 being played with Inquisitor Fisher venturing into the sewers beneath Freeport City in search of a nameless horror so until then, All the best!

Lockdown 2.0 Project Log Day 106: Brutal Quest Battle Report

 Hi!

I played a quick game of Brutal Quest last night and rather enjoyed it so without further ado, on with the report:

The Background

Sir Roderick, Knight of the Eternal Light is on a quest to recover an ancient tome of knowledge from the Order of the Tower's library. Accompanying him is his young squire, Kes Westlake and following a long and arduous journey from the fortified city of Sunpeak, they have reached the Axeblade mountains. 

Unfortunately the snows arrived early and they were forced to winter in the trading outpost of Arch as the passes through the mountains were blocked and Roderick hadn't managed to secure a pass to the Dwarven Realms. As the spring arrives and the passes begin to open, Roderick and Kes have departed, climbing ever upwards and along the Pinecliff road towards the eastern flank of the mountains. Finally after a week of travel the two adventurers approach a small hamlet and a much needed Inn to rest in but as they walk closer to the settlement, the place seems abandoned with no smoke rising from chimneys and nobody moving around.

Cautiously the two approach, easing their weapons from their scabbards and move to investigate. As they do so hunched and unlovely figures emerge from the shadows, their eyeless heads turning as if to listen before letting out guttural snarls and shambling forward towards Roderick and Kes. 

The Forces

Sir Roderick is wearing light plate and has a shield and a longsword whilst Kes has leather armour and a shortsword.

The monsters are a trio of Cavern Dwellers, shambling mutants who often leave the safety of their subterranean lairs to raid settlements. They are unarmed and unarmoured but have the Brawler ability making them pretty dangerous in combat.

The Layout

The settlement lies at the centre of the board and is surrounded by rocky outcrops and sturdy trees. Sir Roderick and Kes enter from the bottom right corner whilst the Cavern Dwellers enter from the top left.

Each building can be investigated by performing a successful melee attack to break down the door. On a roll of a 1, the character is attacked by a giant rat, on a 2-4 they find nothing, on a 5 they discover D6 gold and on a 6 they discover a survivor.

Do they try to enter buildings quickly or deal with the monsters!

The Game

Kes has the highest Agility followed by Roderick and finally the Cavern Dwellers.

Keen to discover any survivors, Kes rushes towards the nearest building despite Roderick's warning. The youthful but headstrong Squire kicks at the door but fails to gain entry. Sighing at his squire's impetuousness, Roderick moves to the barn and puts his shoulder to it but fails to get the sturdy door to open.

Meanwhile the shambling Cavern Dwellers split up with two rushing towards the settlement intent on getting to grips with the two adventurers. The third one, possibly more cunning or cowardly than his compatriots splits off and begins skirting around the edge of the settlement, intent on sneaking up behind the adventurers.

Turn two sees Kes succeed in opening the doorway to the building finding no survivors but four gold pieces in her search. Roderick kicks down the door to the barn and is immediately confronted by a giant rat who launches itself at the startled knight. Uttering a most ungentlemanly oath, Roderick takes a swing at the rodent but the creature is too nimble and scurries up his leg and begins gnawing on his cloak.

The Cavern Dwellers continue their advance and end their activation dangerously close to the adventurers. 

Uttering a shrill battlecry, Kes hurtles out of the building she's just investigated and engages the closest Cavern Dweller who was stalking towards Sir Roderick who seems to be performing some sort of jig with a rat hanging on his cloak.

The charge catches the creature unprepared and Kes scores two respectable hits with her shortsword, wounding the Cavern Dweller and earning herself a Brutality Point. Meanwhile Sir Roderick isn't having a good day, the Rat keeps avoiding his swings and his cloak is getting decidedly gnawed upon (game wise, Sir Roderick was rolling terribly and the rat kept hitting him but failing to damage due to his plate armour)

The now wounded Cavern Dweller swings its filthy claws at Kes but the speed and violence of her charge has obviously unnerved the beast as it fails to hit the Squire. Things start getting a bit dicy for Kes as the second Cavern Dweller charges her but she spots it and manages to fend off its first attack while her leather armour absorbs a second swipe from the creature.

The third beast, hearing the clamour of battle rushes into the village from the west and moves towards the outnumbered Squire.

Kes is starting to worry as she is badly outnumbered and shouts to her boss for help whilst fending off the hideous beasts. She manages to hit the second Cavern Dweller, wounding the beast and seems to be holding her own but how long can she hold out?

Roderick finally manages to kill the rat and glances over his shoulder to see his Squire in a brawl with two unlovely beasts whilst a third creeps up behind her. Such ungentlemanly behaviour requires punishment and Sir Roderick bellows his warcry and bowls into the beast but it spots his approach and his longsword only grazes the creature.

The two Cavern Dwellers in combat with Kes redouble their efforts to drag down the plucky Squire but a combination of bad rolls to attack and some impressive armour saves sees Kes survive, bloodied but unbound.

At this point, I couldn't remember how many turns had been played and realised I had forgotten to take photos so apologies!

Drawing on her training, Kes thrusts her shortsword into one Cavern Dwellers face, sending the beast stumbling away, blood pouring from the deep wound. Her second attack drives her other opponent back with a badly mangled claw.

Roderick meanwhile succeeds in repeatedly hitting his foe but rolling rubbish damage so while his longsword is capable of doing eight points of damage with a single hit, he's only causing one or two points of damage but with a massive overhead swing, he finally causes some real damage and drives his opponent off.

At this point, the Cavern Dwellers have all been badly wounded and shamble away from the battlefield leaving Kes with 4 Brutality Points and Roderick with 3 to save towards advancements.

Conclusion

Sir Roderick binds Kes's wounds and chides her for her impetuous actions but is relieved that his plucky squire has survived and ruffles her hair before bemoaning his badly chewed cloak. Kes, stifling a giggle at her bosses mournful expression volunteers to sew the ravaged cloak. 

Further exploration of the settlement reveals that it has been abandoned and Roderick and Kes barricade themselves up in the inn for the night, lighting a fire in the hearth and preparing to move on towards Pinecliff in the morning.

Well that was a fun game! I really enjoyed playing it and feel that Brutal Quest is going to be a staple for my small fantasy skirmishes moving forward. I've still got to fully master the close combat section as it's a bit more in-depth than Planet 28 but it's rather fun. The Brutality Points also look like they are going to add a really awesome element to games, allowing for re-rolls on skill tests, extra actions or attacks which will allow for damaging even heavily armoured foes.

Hopefully I'll get chance to play some more games today or tomorrow as well as continuing with my Sci-Fi shenanigans but until then, All the best!