Introduction: By this point one of our heroes had moved from Brightwater to Sevenoaks, following an adulterous relationship, divorce, and re-marriage into the clan. So when the feud cycle swung over to a Split Waters raid again, it was Sevenoaks, undefended by walls and watchtower that felt the attack. This is a similar episode to the first raid, of course in our game the two episodes were seperated by weeks of play. The personal goals of the participants are usually more important than the fight. In our game the heroes lost this battle, but their heroic stand was to win them praise.
Enastara the Red wants vengeance. Vengeance for a father murdered. Vengeance for kinsmen slaughtered.
Scene 1: The Raid
Setting: Fire Season 1605. A hot and humid day made bearable by a gentle breeze. Clouds roll high over head, providing the promise of a thunderstorm to come.
Introduction: DIntroduction: Lambing is finished and the herds move away from the rich meadowlands into the rougher pastures ‘between the rivers’. Travel is easier and men’s thoughts turn to raiding trading and war. Enastara’s warband targets Sevenoaks. Close to Split Waters territory, but not protected by palisade and watchtower, Sevenoaks seems easier pickings to Enastara than Brightwater. Her goal is death and plunder. She wants to pay back the blood debt of the destruction of Liekstead. And she wants to take plunder to bolster her reputation as a red-handed raider.
A hawk flies overhead
From where he is herding a hero sees a wind hawk flying overhead. It is Jostharl Many-Breaths, the clan guardian. He cries and screeches in alarm. Gazing toward where Jostharl is circling he can see the dust clouds of mounted raiders, riding toward Sevenoaks. Can the hero warn the stead in time? Will he help them stand and fight?
Warning of attack
If the heroes learn of the attack before it happens they may be able to warn the community. Minlin is drunk and hostile to any suggestion of danger. Suchessa will back any hero who warns the commnunity claiming that ‘the land is troubled, something approaches’. Suchessa believes there is too little time to flee to Dragon Ruins. She suggests that they lock themselves, and their most valuable livestock and goods. Eonisorl’s sons lock themselves and their wives inside their stead, despite the old man’s taunts. They send Gringle to grab is prize Red Bull and drive into the stead. Sigmundorl and his wife say little but yoke their oxen to the cart and begin packing their valuables. If anyone confronts them, Sigmundorl speaks for his family: ‘Second Safety lies in Dragon’s Ruins. I will not wait here to burn like those who lived at EoricStead. If you are wise you will flee too. I have said my peace. I will speak of this no more’. Kulbrandor begs aid of the others. ‘Our cottage walls are too weak to keep the raiders out. Let us lodge with you’ Eonisorl and Minlin resist. Sigmundorl scowls at them and warns them against trespassing on his property. Enerin will eventually offer, if no one else comes forward.
The Champion’s Battle
Enastara the Red shouts out the champion’s challenge. “People of Sevenoaks, kin to Hahlgrim Asrans-Bane, The Bloody Hand gang is upon you. A red day! A sword day! Many of you will greet your ancestor’s in Orlanth’s Hall this day. Will any stand before me to take the test of champions? Or will you hide within your hovels until we dig you out?” If no heroes step forward to take their place the defenders suffer Orlanth’s Scorn. Everyone knows this. This is Divine Wrath and acts as a-3 penalty to all defenders. Minlin will call upon Matlus Storm-Wise to use his Escape Responsibility feat to prevent this curse falling on one of the defenders of his hall.
Invarth and Vogarth try to dissuade anyone rash enough to take on Enastara: “She didn’t become the Split Waters warband leader by gifting”. Eonisorl Ben-Back mocks his sons:
Eonisorl earned his silver horde,
In sword-blades meeting for his lord,
His sons abandoned it to hide,
When Death to Sevenoaks did ride.
Enastara the Red, Warband Leader
A devotee of Finovan the Raider Enastara has a great herd of red cows taken in numerous raids. Courageous and charismatic, people follow Enastara instinctively. A skilled warrior her position as warband leader is not just due to her mother Babessa the Merciless. Her sister Kullina Line-Breaker is clan champion. Enastara is attractive with blond hair and blue eyes and flowing yellow cloak. Many men court her, but she has vowed to take no husband until her vengeance on the bloodline of Hahlgrim Far-Walker is complete. Hahlgrim Far-Walker killed her father Asran Rain-Bringer. Enastara led the Burners of EoricStead.
Keywords: Devotee of Vinga Finovan 5W, Warrior 3W2, Weaponthane 6W.
Significant Abilities: Brave 6W, Charismatic 7W, Sword and Shield fighting 1W2 (+28 when mounted), Spear and Shield Fighting 3W2 (+28 when mounted), Javelin 14W.
Equipment: Chain Mail hauberk and shield +4, iron spear +6, sword +3, 3 javelins +3, battle trained horse.
Personal Augments:
- The Land Waster Ritual: +11 The Split Waters have sacrificed black bulls to Humakt for aid in killing. The warband are all daubed in blood drawn crosses. Enastara is geased to show no quarter while under the influence of this ritual.
- Spear Help +3 Spear and Shield fighting
- Burst of Speed + 3 Spear and Shield fighting.
- Searing Bolt +3 Spear and Shield fighting.
- Shield Breaker: +4 Helga Shield-Breaker, guardian of the Bloody Hand Gang, augments Enastara with her war magic.
Enastara’s spear is wreathed in blue lightning, which crackles and sparks. The haft is ebon black. Enastara moves supernaturally quickly, winds whistle around her as she does so.
The outcome of the champion’s battle affects morale. If the heroes win the defenders receive a morale bonus based on Enastara’s ability rating and the level of the victory (use the same benefits as completing a HeroQuest station). If they lose their opponents gain an augment based on their champion’s ability rating and the level of the defeat.
Anyone who defeats Enastara will gain renown among their companions and a place in stories.
The Warrior’s Battle
With the Champion’s Battle ended, individuals from the Bloody Hand Gang begin to call out challenges. Heroes should be able to pick out individual foes in the enemy battle line and call out challenges and curses. Allow them to augment for personal hatreds when fighting those foes
When any individual challenges have been fought to a conclusion, the Bloody Hand Gang storms the stead.
The Twins
The Twins are not identical but easily recognizable as sister and brother. They do everything as a pair and are inseparable.
Hallarax Grimblade
Tall and well-muscled, Hallarax is covered with scars across his face and body, many self-inflicted. He has a death rune tattooed across the bridge of his nose and forehead. Big and tough, Hallarax can keep going despite pain or injury and seems immune to fatigue. He carries the greatsword Widow-maker, and wears his father’s chain hauberk. Hallarax lives for fighting, spending hours training with his Four Storms and twin sister Janesta Red-Taloned. Despite the severing, he loves Janesta and he would avenge any slight or injury to her. He is more loyal to Kullina Line-Breaker than Enastara the Red.
Keywords: Warrior 14W, Weaponthane 17, Devote of Makla Mann 6W.
Significant Abilities: Brave 3W, Greatsword Fighting 19W
Equipment: Chain Mail hauberk +3, greatsword +4
Personal Augments:
- Fight to the Death+3 Sword fighting
- Visage of Fear + 3 Sword fighting.
- Brave + 3 Sword and Shield fighting.
- Despite Injury: +2
- Immune to Fatigue: +2
- Tall: +2
- Tough: +2
- Well-muscled: +2
Janesta Red-Taloned
Tall and well-muscled, Janesta is covered with scars across her face and body, many self-inflicted. She has a death rune tattooed across the bridge of his nose and forehead. Big and tough, Janesta can keep going despite pain or injury and seems immune to fatigue. The veteran of many battles with the Red Cow, she has a fine herd of red cattle, all won in raids. Despite the severing, she still loves her twin brother Hallarax Grimblade. She respects Enastara the Red but dislikes Kullina’s bullying. She has little time for Vastyr the Unadvised, seeing him as a braggart.
Keywords: Warrior 14W, Weaponthane 17, Devote of Makla Mann 6W.
Significant Abilities: Brave 6W, Sword Fighting 16W.
Equipment: Leather armour and shield +3, sword +3.
Personal Augments:
- Fight to the Death+3 Sword fighting
- Visage of Fear + 3 Sword fighting.
- Brave + 3 Sword and Shield fighting.
- Despite Injury: +2
- Immune to Fatigue: +2
- Tall: +2
- Tough: +2
- Well-muscled: +2
The Twin’s magic means their faces seem to be grinning skulls, devoid of flesh with empty pits for eyes. Inky blackness surrounds them and their weapons
Entarosa Try-Much
Entarosa Try-Much is a tomboyish devotee of Vinga Destor. ‘One of the boys’ Entarosa drinks, swears, and cusses with the best of the other warriors. When she became a weaponthane, she chose men for her Four Storms. She avoids anything feminine or ‘girly’. Her mother Enitessa Herd-Mistress despairs that she will ever marry. Her father Jarang One-Way thinks of her as the son he never had. Entarosa is a famous wolf killer and member of the Wolfskinners. She carries the Asart Spear. She grudgingly admires Ivartha the Skinner as a Vingan and Wolf-Killer and Valenstor Moor-Leaper for his past deeds.
Keywords: Warrior 19W, Weaponthane 3W Devotee of Vinga Destor 11W.
Equipment: Bronze and Leather armour and shield +3, javelins +3, sword +3.
Personal Augments:
- Spear Help +3 Spear and Shield fighting
- Burst of Speed + 3 Spear and Shield fighting.
- Brave + 3 Sword and Shield fighting.
Entarosa’s spearpoint glows forge red and she moves with inhuman speed
Vastyr the Unadvised
Vastyr the Unadvised is one of the warriors who took part in the Burning of EoricStead. Vastyr is loud, boastful, and brash, pumped up by his position as weaponthane. He is a firm believer in Maboder superiority. He hates the Telmori and is a member of the Wolf Skinners. For Vastyr the Maboder are the fence of swords against the Telmori and he dismisses the warriors of the Red Cow, like Ivartha the Skinner, as an irrelevance. Young, good-looking, with long auburn hair, he wears a yellow-green kirtle with a great finger-ring on his hand. Vastyr is husband to Nevaki All-Talk..
Keywords: Warrior 16W, Weaponthane 19 Devotee of Destor 4W.
Equipment: Bronze and Leather armour and shield +3, javelins +3, sword +3.
Personal Augments:
- Overbear Foe +3 Sword and Shield fighting.
- Burst of Speed+3 Sword and Shield fighting.
- Brave +2 Sword and Shield fighting.
Vastyr’s magic makes him seem huge, a giant of a man but he still moves with inhuman speed
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Page Last updated: 2020-07-05 17:09:46