Friday, December 9, 2016

Forstgrave Campaign Game 11 - The Finale


Well that time has finally arrived - the last game of our year long campaign.  Unfortunately, two of our members were unable to attend.  Our final game was determined several weeks ago - The Library scenario.  And several of us spent many nights making bookcases. 
Bookcase and pile of rotting books - Hey, who threw a copy of Frostgrave on the pile?  So rude!

Another bookcase and a map table

Another bookcase and a new treasure token
We also set the first three wandering monsters to be wraiths just to make things more interesting.  We used the wandering monster number roll of as suggested in the book "Into the Breeding Pits".

And we decided that in addition to everyone bringing three treasure tokens, we all bring three small "Secret Santa" gifts as well to be given out for each treasure a wizard managed to recover.

The pile of gifts
So we got the table set-up using numerous Dwarven Forge sets, placed all the bookcases, and drew for starting locations.

The table it all its glory
A view from the other end
A view of one room
Another room
The map room
Another view of the map room
Here are two other reports from the same game seen through the eyes of other wizards.

Knabe's Arch Nemesis Kodak's report Frostgrave Campaign: Game 11

 Elsa the Elementalist's report  Silence in the Library

And now for Knabe's Report

The excitement and dread of going underground had certainly distracted Knabe and Vogel.  Between the two of them, they both managed fail casting Raise Zombie, Reveal Secret, and failed one attempt at Brew Potion.  Knabe did manage to brew a single potion of Strength and Vogel was able to summon a Snow Leopard to his side which he dubbed Fleck V.  Knabe reached into the potion cabinet and gave a Potion of Invisibility to Vogel and Daggit, a Potion of Burrowing to Pilum, and took a Potion of Healing for himself.  A fox was taken from the kennel (Spent 10 gc to hire a new war hound) to join the group as they departed their base.
Knabe
Following the old parchment map, Knabe slowly led his party through the ruins looking for a hidden entrance into the underground library of Felstad.  It was said to stretch forever under the city and was a maze of passageways and rooms filled with ancient tomes and other treasures.  But it is also said to be guarded by several wraith-like creatures that are magically bound to the library. 

After removing a few large boulders and other rubble, Knabe and crew found what appeared to be a stairway heading underground.  They cautiously moved down until they reached a battered old wooden door.  Surprisingly, it was not locked and only required the strong shoulder of Keinegnad to swing open.

Knabe and Vogel both failed at casting Raise Zombie - to the extent that both took a point of damage.  Knabe tells Daggit to drink his potion and scout ahead.  So with a quick gulp, Daggit fades from view.  Vogel asks Pilum to try his potion.  Pilum downs the strange concoction (Potion of Burrowing) and finds he is able to walk right through the side of the passage - and disappears.  Worried, Vogel thinks to himself, "I hope he found another room, I forgot to tell him the potion has a limited distance."  The rest of the party moves deeper into the library and spread out in three directions.
Knabe's merry men (and animals) move out to explore
Faenger spots an urn a top a bookcase and moves to retrieve it.  Fleck V, The Fox, and the owl all bound past him and round a corner - never to seen again.  Knabe casts Fog to conceal Faenger's movement as he climbs atop a bookcase to retrieve the urn.
Knabe cast Fog as the rest of the warband spreads out
Meanwhile, Pilum has safely passed through the stone and end up in what looks like a small closet area.  There is a skeleton laying there clutching an old tome.  Hoping it is something valuable, Pilum pries it from the skeleton's dead fingers and places it in his pack.  He moves to the door and listens.
The Fog didn't last very long.  Knabe tries another attempt to Raise Zombie, and again miscasts the spell, and again takes more damage.  Faenger climbs down from the bookcase.
Faenger grabs an Urn while Knabe covers the hallway
Around the corner and off in the distance, Knabe hears a loud whoosh and sees a great flash of light.  He doesn't know what just happened but it can't be good.  As he is pondering the event, a bolt flies out of the shadows, striking him in the shoulder (10 points of damage).  This is followed by a sword wielding maniac moving up to engage him.  Knabe manages to easily defeat his attacker and identifies him as a member of Sister Janet's (Sigilist) band.  Knabe drinks his Potion of Healing.  This passage does not appear to be safe and obviously he and his warband are not alone down here.  Not only that, but a sickening sweet smell of roasted meat is emanating from somewhere around the next corner.  Knabe falls back with Faenger in tow.
Knabe takes down Sister Janet's Infantryman
(What Knabe and crew didn't know:  Fleck, The Fox, and the owl raced through the passageways, stirring up years old dust.  After making several turns, they find themselves in a small alcove.  On the far side of the alcove, standing on a set of step, is a female wizard.  Snarling, growling, and squawking, all three charge forward.  The wizard (Sister Janet) calmly wiggles her fingers and throws her arm forward.  A huge fireball appears and speeds towards the hapless animals.  Scratching and flapping, they try to move out of the way.  WHOOOOOSSSHHHH!!! The fireball explodes and engulfs them all.  Needless to say, it was not a pretty sight as all three were deep fried where they stood.) (I really dislike Elemental Ball)
Fleck and friends spots Sister Janet - she casts Elemental Ball
Fleck and friends get toasted
 Vogel, Uhlmann, Keinegnad, and Bobo have moved down a different passageway and entered a room filled with bookcases....and the sound of loud croaking. "Toads" mumbles Keinegnad, "I hate toads."  Vogel cast Fog towards the far side of the room to help cover their movement.  They also find Pilum, safe and sound, much to Vogel's relief.
The Doctor's thieving warband members stealing Knabe's treasure
 when "Surprise".....or should it be  "CROOAAAKKK"
The toads prevent the theft
Meanwhile, Fritz has plenty of targets to keep him busy.  He misses a wolf, hits and kills an Imp, and finally kills the wolf.
A view of the action
 Uhlmann teams up with Pilum and head towards the exit.  As they traverse the passageway, a shadow (Vashta Nerada) oozes through the wall and attacks Uhlmann.  Uhlmann swings wildly at the creature but is unable to cause any damage.  He does manage to force it backwards.  Knabe sees the fight and moves up with Faenger in tow.  Together they move into combat with shadowy thing.  Faenger distracts the creature just enough to allow Knabe's sword to magically cut through its wisp-like body. They stare as the creature slowly dissipates.

Knabe kills the wraith creature know as the Vashta Nerada
Vogel yelps as an ice toad hops through the wall of fog and heads towards Keinegnad.  "Don't mess up, don't mess up" he says to himself as he quickly makes the proper signs and successfully throws a dart of bone at the monstrosity.  The Bone Dart pierces the toad's eye, its dead before it hits the ground.  Keinegnad moves up and grabs the treasure chest.  The other toad apparently hopped out a side door and disappeared.
An ice toad hops towards Vogel
One dead ice toad
Standing in a four-way intersection, Knabe sees a wild wolf prowling in a side room.  Be sends a Bone Dart in to take it down. On the far side of the same room, a wraith can be seen floating by a bookcase.  In the middle of the room is a treasure.  From out of nowhere, Daggit says, "Cover me Uhlmann and I'll grab the treasure".  Uhlmann says, "Easy for you, you're invisible."  But he cautiously moves forward a bit.  Daggit reappears as he is picking up the treasure.  He turns and runs as fast as he can.  The wraith lets out an ungodly screech, and charges forward - right into Uhlmann.  Activating his Gloves of Casting, Knabe successfully cast Push on the wraith.  The wraith is propelled backwards until it hits the far wall.  Uhlmann runs out past Knabe, muttering under his breath "I need to change my pants".

Knabe, Daggit, and Uhlmann just after the wraith has been pushed away
Knabe signals recall and casts Fog to cover their movement, just in case.  Legio, Pilum, Daggit, Faenger, and Keinegnad all recovered chests, tomes, and an urn.  Our best haul yet from the frozen city.

A final group shot
As Knabe looks over the loot, he ponders what to do next.  Maybe a retirement is in order.  Or who knows, at a future date, he may venture forth again........
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What a great game.  As usual, most of the wandering monsters appeared at my end of the table, including two of the three wraiths.  But this just made things more interesting.

Knabe finished the campaign as the highest level wizard - Level 34 with Kodak coming in second (Note: as it should be - Knabe)

Time for a small hiatus for this group of Frostgrave players.  We plan to start a new campaign with new wizards after the first of the year.  Time to start painting a new warband and figuring out what wizard school I'll be using next time.

Thanks for reading along as we journeyed through the ruins of Felstad.  I hope you all tune in next year for the new campaign.  Enjoy the holidays!!

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