Turn 24 to 27 - Days 143 to 156 - Killingtara
The true motivations of the cult of Sisyn have been revealed : they are the Whispers from Beyond, and are now enemies to Godric's Seven, for even if they intend to raise all the heroes of long-forgotten Tara for their defense, the Rangers of Alladore cannot let the Vale be swamped by the undead.
At Mankhundun, the company already learned much about the elusive and long-vanished Taran civilisation. A surprisingly advanced Hu-Man civilisation - not the first one the Rangers have encountered since the fight against the Deep began - they appear to have been great builders of underground cities, if the warrens that are the foundations of present day Mankhundun are to be believed.
There are important but still elusive links between these ancient Tarans, and the Death God Sisyn. Today's worshippers of Sisyn seem to see, in Taran mass burial grounds, a ready source of their undead legions. The Tarans sought, for some reason, to stamp out Sisyn's cult in a distant past, and evidently did a very good job of it. His theory is that the followers of Sisyn only saved themselves by assassinating Queen Tara. It troubles him, however, that the death of Queen Tara seems to signal the end of an entire civilisation, so much so, that they are known to posterity by her name. Was the assassination of the queen accompanied by mass slaughter in her palace ? It seems unlikely that the handful of survivors of a waning cult could have done such a thing. If Sisyn's worshippers did not bring down Taran civilisation, then who did ?
Whatever the long-forgotten truths might be, the Tarans have returned, the Curse of War. Twice they have struck against Okerdik, and they must be stopped.
Now everything converges on the snowy flanks of Killingtara...
More than once, the mountain had tested their resolve, but their bonds had held, showing no fragilities. Their courage sufficed to drive forward their guide, increasingly nervous. For the deeper they pushed into the mountain’s frozen heart, the more it seemed to watch them, alive with secrets. Whispers rode the wind, and strange markings etched in stone hinted at something older than the snow.
Until at last Tara's Tower came into view. The guide pointed out the treacherous, narrow road cut into the bedrock, preserved from snow by the overhanging rock, but slick with ice. The man sighed with relief when Godric sent him home, with a warm handshake in which he left a pair of gold marks.
Clambering up the last steps, the mountain wind still clinging to their cloaks, the company caught its breath. Tara's Tower was a spire of pale, weather-worn stone, rising like a broken needle from the mountain’s jagged shoulder, leaning slightly, as if bowing to time itself, but its silhouette still sharp against the bruised sky.
The tower was cut downwards into the rock of the mountain. They would enter through its summit, and then descend into its depths. The approach was choked with frost-bitten grass and half-buried statues—remnants of another age. Eyes made of crystal glinted from shattered visages, and thorny branches clung to them, as if to throttle any new hint of life.
The door stood open on its hinges, that someone had recently oiled. The company passed through it, under an arch of white stone, carved with symbols no longer spoken. The air inside was warmer than expected, carrying a faint scent of over-ripe flowers. Both welcome and troublesome.
Godric felt a compulsion, a need to understand, although in his heart he knew what he would look upon. He lit a torch nonetheless, and recoiled. Nature perverted had reclaimed much of the entrance floor. The Deep. At this altitude it was vines hanging like curtains, sporting vividly coloured flowers that smelt up close of rot.
It was bad enough, but it was not all. There was a whisper of danger. Godric cursed at his foolishness and snuffed the torch. They had enough time to see the enemy. The living dead were already here, feeding on forgotten magic.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scenario Parameters :
This is Depth 1 of the Delve.
There are no difficulty adjustments, which occur as of Depth 3. Once Depth 3 has been reached, always use the Curse of War encounter tables, and remember that encounters with them are at +1 Enemy (p. 207).
Tara's traditional foes have already reached the tower, for the adventurers face Skeletal Defenders (p.180). That there are only five of them suggests that the denizens of Killingtara are fighting back. They were obviously unable, however, to kill the source of their misery, the Deranged Cultist of Sisyn (p.125). Her sinister mastery of the Pull threatens the coming of greater evils...
As Mina scouts forward, she realises, in the Silence of the Grave (p. 143) that an additional three skeletons have been drawn to the powerful magicks emanating from the fountain in the centre of the room.
Contrary to the normal rules for a Site Battle, the heroes must always make a Flight in the Dark roll if they move out of the battle zone through the entrance door. On the other hand, no such roll is required under any circumstances, if they go down the staircase on the opposite side of the room. If at least three heroes move off in such a way before the end of turn 10, earn 1 Story Point.
Terrain is set up as per the generic rules (p.128-129).
In a Site Battle, going is normally difficult, so decrease base move rates by 1", and only characters with the Crawling trait can Dash; but that rule is suspended for this scenario. No ranged attacks can be made beyond 8".
This is a Site Battle, see p.142 for the rules concerning it.
To Achieve their Objective, and gather as much knowledge as possible about the Tarans, the heroes must uncover at least three exploration markers.
Under Siege (p.219) is in effect, so since a Unique Foe is present, if it is not slain, a roll must be made on the Enemy Plans Table (p.207).
A roll should in theory be made after this scenario to see if the Delve is cleared out, but from a narrative point of view, ignore this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The company split up, to take advantage of the slow, clunky movements of the skeletal guards. Two groups were charged with exploring the level for any interesting information - or loot - whilst Godric and Krik were to steal forward and kill the deranged cultist before she could compete her sorcery.
The initial stages of exploration went well, and with half of the company well positioned on the flanks, Godric and Krik drove forward, betraying their presence to the skeletons grouped around the fountain. They made short work of them, without alerting their undead fellows.
The chanting had, however, reached an unbearable pitch. Mina diverted from her initial role to close with the cultist, as Godric and Krik were still too far away. Bellowing, she landed a blow on the cultist, but not enough to kill her, and the ritual was completed. A deadly wight, shrouded in flickering blue light, raised from a tomb against the far wall of the room; it was fortunately quite distant from the heroes.
The skeletal guardians of the cultist, and the miscreant's wicked dagger, made short work of the isolated Mina. Krik rapidly avenged her, with a single arrow that punched through the cultist's chest and sent her into the arms of her Death God.
He brought time however for his comrades, and they ran down the stairwell, deeper into Tara's Tower.
Although the wound that Krik received from the Wight was superficial, the cold hatred of the undead had worked its way into his body; he would take several days to recover. Mina, on the other hand, would soon be back on her feet. The insect-man reached level 5, improving his Toughness - his Achille's heel against creatures such as a Wight, whose spectral touch passes through ordinary armour. Noctulo also reached level 2, his wings strengthening and lending him greater speed.
The bat-monk had also found some interesting treasure : some thief's tools, and a mystical ring.
The second depth of the tower, abandoned by the Curse of War, but into which the Cult of Sisyn had not yet ventured, was populated only by giant insects. As horrifying as they were, they were easy to avoid, and the company crossed the floor and reached the staircase downwards, without incident [ndlr : I skipped level 2 of the Delve, as the Giant Bug enemy were of little interest, and more to the point, the Curse of War are present from level 3 onwards : far more interesting from a narrative viewpoint !]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scenario Parameters :
This is Depth 3 of the Delve.
Difficulty adjustments are +1 Enemy and +1 Objective Marker for Depth 3. As of Depth 3, always use the Curse of War encounter tables, and remember that encounters with them are at +1 Enemy (p. 207).
On this level, the defense against the Cult of Sisyn had obviously been regrouped, for the heroes faced Forsaken Infantry, eleven of them, of whom two with bows, plus a sergeant. Mina whispered back to the company that yet more Foe Lurked, in unknown quantities, in the centre of the assembly area.
The Heroes can exit off any edge of the battle zone, except the one they entered through. If they have not Achieved the Objective at that point, a Flight in the Dark roll is required as normal.
Above and beyond that, the edge across which the most heroes have exited, is the Primary Exit Edge. Any heroes who exit off another edge must make a Flight in the Dark roll even if the company have Achieved their Objective or, for that matter Held the Field.
It is vital to gather as much information as possible as to what lies ahead, for the ultimate goal of this delve is to find the hideout of the Curse of War. If all of the objective markers are explored, earn 1 Story Point.
Terrain is set up as per the generic rules (p.128-129).
In a Site Battle, going is normally difficult, so decrease base move rates by 1", and only characters with the Crawling trait can Dash; but that rule is suspended for this scenario. No ranged attacks can be made beyond 8".
This is a Site Battle, see p.142 for the rules concerning it.
To Achieve their Objective the heroes must uncover at least three exploration markers.
Under Siege (p.219) is in effect, so if a Unique Foe is present, if it is not slain, a roll must be made on the Enemy Plans Table (p.207).
A roll should in theory be made after this scenario to see if the Delve is cleared out, but from a narrative viewpoint, ignore this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mina sped off on the company's right flank, looking to engage the enemy grouped there. She definitely overestimated her combat capacities, as the Curse of War troops fairly quickly overwhelmed her !
Partho was dangerously exposed, and even wounded once by a spear-thrust before Godric could reach him, and more or less single-handedly take on the enemy hordes.
During this time, Ruairidh and Noctulo sprinted around their left flank, deserted of enemy troops, to scout out as much information as they could gather.
Some of the enemy fled, but this only made the survivors hardier (Tattered Banners). The two archers were particularly troublesome, stunning Godric at one point. Radovan went down, badly injured, and then shock ran through the company as a lucky arrow bowled Godric over, leaving him senseless in the gloom. Only sheer luck saved him from death [he had to use a luck point to avoid a "Dead" result post-battle, ndlr]. The tortoise-mounted magician was also struck down, although the helmet he always wears beneath his pointy magician hat saved him from permanent harm.
Fortunately, Ruairidh and Noctulo had gathered sufficient intelligence - if not quite as much as they would have liked - and they were able to make it to the staircase and away.
Mina, it turned out, had managed to sneak away, with only her pride hurt - and her torc of Unrelenting Fury destroyed. When they met up again, Ruairidh wryly handed her a set of fine full armour that he had found, so that she would be better protected next time !
Ruairidh attains Level 3, and gains Devotion; his loss of faith in Sisyn has obviously not stopped him searching for truth in the intangible. Another very useful find was a bag of foreign coins, since Godric was running out of means to maintain his Seven. A bottle of fine wine would also help keep his tired men and women loyal.
Having disrupted the company of troops by their abrupt but violent passage, Drake's Seven leave the Curse of War open to attack by Sisyn's legions. When Godric rejoined the company, to everyone's relief, he told them the undead had invaded the third level of the tower and were set to take it [Threat Level of the Curse of War reduced to 1, ndlr].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scenario Parameters :
This is Depth 4 of the Delve.
Difficulty adjustments are +1 Enemy and +1 Objective Marker for Depth 4. As of Depth 3, always use the Curse of War encounter tables, and remember that encounters with them are at +1 Enemy (p. 207).
On this level, the heroes face another full company of Forsaken Infantry, again eleven of them, of whom two with bows, plus a sergeant. Fortunately, there were no additional lurking foes on this level.
The Heroes can exit off any edge of the battle zone, except the one they entered through. If they have not Achieved the Objective at that point, a Flight in the Dark roll is required as normal.
Above and beyond that, the edge across which the most heroes have exited, is the Primary Exit Edge. Any heroes who exit off another edge must make a Flight in the Dark roll even if the company have Achieved their Objective or, for that matter Held the Field.
It is vital to gather as much information as possible as to what lies ahead, for the ultimate goal of this delve is to find the hideout of the Curse of War. If all of the objective markers are explored, earn 1 Story Point.
Terrain is set up as per the generic rules (p.128-129).
In a Site Battle, going is normally difficult, so decrease base move rates by 1", and only characters with the Crawling trait can Dash; but that rule is suspended for this scenario. No ranged attacks can be made beyond 8".
This is a Site Battle, see p.142 for the rules concerning it.
To Achieve their Objective the heroes must uncover at least three exploration markers.
Under Siege (p.219) is in effect, so if a Unique Foe is present, if it is not slain, a roll must be made on the Enemy Plans Table (p.207).
A roll should in theory be made after this scenario to see if the Delve is cleared out, but from a narrative point of view, ignore this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
What was this place ? It looked like a graveyard for terrible, unnatural creatures, that the long passage of time had frozen into place, into some sort of sinister museum.
The Curse of War troops seemed to have no idea what was happening on the higher levels of the tower, as they patrolled lethargically. The company was able to gain all the information it needed, with little trouble. Only as they headed towards the opposing edge of the battle zone did things momentarily heat up. Mina fell wounded to an arrow shot, leaving Parthoghimeos alone and somewhat exposed to the oncoming enemy. Unable to make the rendez-vous, he had to Flee in the Dark by another stairwell.
Navigating a perilously narrow staircase, whose cavernous bottom claimed his staff while he was walking and lent on a loose stone, Parthoghimeos was ultimately able to rejoin his comrades safe and sound. They themselves had been on a more comfortable stair, but it had been leading down for hundreds of steps now. Light was, however, glinting ahead.
"This is it", Godric told the company. "We have found their hideout. Let us cut off the head of the serpent !".
Godric's Seven had amassed enough Adventure Points to both reduce the Curse of War Threat Level to 0, and find their Hideout, deep within Tara's Tower. Neither Mina nor Radovan would be able to join the fight, but Krik was able to flex his bow arms again, and so six would go forth into the light....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scenario Parameters :
This is a Hideout Raid against the Curse of War.
In the dim, flickering light of the cavern, Godric's Seven could make out ten War Cultists (p.173), led by a Lieutenant and the Curse of War's strategist, a Captain.
This is the final battle, whose story will tell itself, so no Story Points to win.
Terrain is set up as per the generic rules (p.128-129).
This is a Hideout Raid, see p.139 for the rules concerning it.
To Achieve their Objective the heroes must kill all enemy leaders.
Under Siege (p.219) is in effect, so if a Unique Foe is present, if it is not slain, a roll must be made on the Enemy Plans Table (p.207).
The story requires that this be the sole attempt to destroy the Hideout. Should the heroes fail, they must flee Tara's Tower. Subtract 20 from all Injury or Flight in the Dark rolls, which must also be made for heroes that did not take part in the scenario.
---------------------------------------------------------
Whatever it might have meant, it was clearly significant to the religion of these people. Overlooking it was an engraved dais, on which sat what was clearly a throne.
"The throne of Tara", whispered Parthoghimeos, drawing surprised, then understanding looks.
"There is our target", pointed Godric. Men were enjoying a feast, and among the company were two elaborately dressed officers, to whom all showed deference.
All of a sudden, a grating chant escaping from the mouths of the warrior cultists.
"It is a summoning", warned Partho. "Something to do with the 'Son of the Earth'. He looked on edge, pained even. "I don't think we should let them finish it".
As wisps of smoke began to fill the room, the company crept forward. It parted like mist, but it was unnaturally warm, and unpleasant in the lungs. It did however provide some useful cover as the heroes crept forward. Then of a sudden they were spotted, and all hell broke loose.
"We triumphed", whispered Godric, almost to himself. He pulled his spear from the enemy captain's stilled chest, and looked around. He had been so focused on the duel, he had perceived nothing else.
"We are all alright", Ruairidh assured him, laying a hand on his leader's shoulder. "All alright".
In truth, almost everyone was bleeding from some wound or another, but nothing that would trouble them much. The first enemy sentries had been rapidly neutralised, but the second wave had proved tough. Clearly fanatical about protecting this hallowed place, they had fought on despite multiple wounds, and had never stopped their nerve-wracking litany, even when their captain fell. The heat in the room had intensified until the last of them was cut down. A quick look at Partho showed they had come close to summoning whatever they were intending to bring into the world.
"We triumphed", whooped Godric, and his cry of joy echoed off the sheer walls of the gigantic chamber.
Thanks to his personal exploits, Godric reached Level 6. Partho had already attained Level 5 on the previous scenario. Noctulo made Level 3.
This is the end of The Vale campaign : read the Conclusion to find out more !
Commentaires
Enregistrer un commentaire