Battle Description
Fire Season – Wild Day/Stasis Week
King Pharandros took command of the remaining imperial troops in the provinces, and led them with the Tarsh army to conquer the disheartened Sartarites. The Lunar army marched from Alda-Chur to the River and then up to Two Sisters, where they established a camp.
Near where the Creek enters the Upland Marsh, some 5,000 Lunar soldiers faced off against less than 4,000 Sartarites led by Kallyr Starbrow. The Sartarites held a good defensive position at the base of Old Top Hill.
The battle began in the early morning with an aggressive attack by the Lunars, but the Sartarites held firm. In the later afternoon, a band of Lunar elite soldiers were teleported behind the commanders, and Queen Kallyr was killed in battle. But Queen Leika Black Spear of the Colymar drove the enemy opposite her warriors into the river where they drowned, which caused the Lunar attack to stop.
This battle was chosen to make it clear that certain battles are not true sandboxes. Like in Pendragon, there will be events taking place during them. Kallyr will die during this battle, although the adventurers can achieve great fame by trying to defend her. The Lunars will rout in Round 7 but the players can certainly make a name for themselves and impact the flow of the battle.
The Battle takes place on Wild Day of Stasis Week in Fire Season. That is the day of the Full Moon. The temperature is 20+2D6 degrees C, and the sky is clear in the morning (turns 1 and 2) but becoming overcast with thunder clouds (turns 6 and 7).
Battle Size and Intensity
- Battle Size: Large Battle
- Total Combatants: 8810
- Rounds: 7
- Intensity (3D6+8) x5 =85%
- Commanders
- Prince Kallyr Starbrow (Battle 95%)
- King Pharandros (Battle 65%)
- Modifiers
- Sartarites fighting in Homeland: +25% for Kallyr
- Lunars greatly outnumber the enemy: -25% for Kallyr/+25% for Pharandros
- Lunars have Scouts: +25% for Pharandros
Turns
- Turn 1
- Pick Encounters Normally.
- Turn 2
- Pick Encounters Normally.
- Turn 3
- Pick Encounters Normally.
- Turn 4
- Pick Encounters Normally.
- Turn 5
- Special Event
- Pick Encounters normally. However, 1D3 Lunar Assassins teleport behind your line and charge towards Kallyr Starbrow. The adventurers can try to save Kallyr but will still be attacked by their other foe. Let the players treat this as a regular melee, that lasts as long as they are willing and are able to continue. [If the character’s fail, Kallyr dies. If the character’s succeed, other assassins kill Kallyr, but they get a +10% bonus to Honor and Loyalty Sartar, as well as an impressive reputation].
- Turn 6
- Kallyr Starbrow is dead! Unit commanders get a -25% penalty on their Battle roll. Any penalties the opposing Lunar commander had is now nullified! The Sartarites fall back and begin to retreat.
- Rally the Troops Opportunity.
- Queen Leika Black Spear leads a charge at King Pharandros! The Lunars lose momentum and begin to retreat!
- Turn 7
- Pick Encounters normally.
- The Lunars retreat across the Creek! Leika orders pursuit!
After the Battle
At dusk, Queen Leika presents herself as the leader to the Sartarite army. The Sartarites, despite their victory, suffered heavy casualties. Prince Kallyr Starbrow was dead and does not return despite the prayers of the healers. King Ranulf of the Culbrea, Queen Ivartha of the Cinsina, and Queen Amalda of the Malani also fell in battle. The Colymar, as the most powerful tribe present, took possession of Kallyr’s body.
Queen Leika rallies the victors and proclaims that at dawn, the army pursue the fleeing Lunar army. The next day, Queen Leika harassed the survivors so much that they retired to Alda-Chur. King Pharandros, fearing the machinations of his rival Fazzur Wideread, quickly returned to Furthest with his most loyal officers and regiments.
The Colymar bring her corpse back to Boldhome to be burned.
Encounters
These are the encounters you all can choose based on your Battle rolls. Your band needs at least the Minimum Guiding Passion listed.
Tarshite Militia
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 40%
- Guiding Passion Loss: – 1D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D3%
This is a group of Tarshite militia about twice your number. They are armed with kopis, short spear, and medium shield.
Regular Cavalry
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 60%
- Guiding Passion Loss: -1D6 x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D3%
This is a group of regular Tarshite cavalry. They are armed with lance, kopis, medium shield, and composite bow, and wear good armor and a closed helmet.
Silver Shields Peltasts
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 65%
- Guiding Passion Loss: – (1D6+2)x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D6%
This is a group of peltasts about twice your number. They are armed with javelins, kopis, and a medium shield. They wear a linothorax cuirass and an open helmet.
Granite Phalanx
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 65%
- Guiding Passion Loss: – (1D6+2) x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D6%
This is a solid mass of hoplites – they are five hoplites deep. The front rank thrusts their spears overhand, the next two ranks are using their spears with two hands. They are armed with long spears, a kopis, and a large shield, and wear bronze armor and an open helmet.
Antelope Lancers
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 65%
- Guiding Passion Loss: -2D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D6%
This is a group of Antelope Lancers about your number. They are armed with lance, kopis, composite bow, and a medium shield. They wear heavy scale armor and an open helmet.
Minor Class Magicians
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 65%
- Guiding Passion Loss: -2D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D6%
This is a band of Lunar priestesses. There are about as many of them as your number. They are armed with a kopis, sickle, and a medium shield, and wear heavy iron scale and an iron closed helmet.
Opportunities
Capture the Standard
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 70%
- Guiding Passion Loss: – 3D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D6%
The opportunity to take an enemy standard presents itself – do you dare try to seize their sacred standard?
Fight an Enemy Commander
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 75%
- Guiding Passion Loss: –3D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D6%
One of the Lunar generals is leading his regiment from the front and is exposed – do you dare try to capture or kill him?
Clash of Champions
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 70%
- Guiding Passion Loss: 0%
- Reputation Gain: +1D3/+1D6%
The enemy sends forward their champion to fight a duel against your champion – do you dare accept?
Raid the Enemy’s Baggage
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 70%
- Guiding Passion Loss: –3D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D3%
Rally the Troops!
- Minimum Guiding Passion: 60%
- Guiding Passion Loss: –3D6x5%
- Reputation Gain: +1D3
Your regiment is wavering and demoralized – do you try to lead it back into action?