Ghost Archipelago Campaign Game 6: The Blood Totems

A late report.....

A few weekends ago we got together for the sixth game in our Ghost Archipelago campaign.  We had  7 of our regular 8 players.  The scenario was the Blood Totems from the GA rulebook.  Skorri ended up surrounded by four other Heritors: to the left was Griffin (Skorri's arch enemy from early in the campaign), to the right was Kragmar, to the left front was Fortrywn (a noble adversary) and to the right front was Gregorious.

Skorri started the game with a new Heritor ability, Intuition, and Agger started with a new Warden spell, Beast Strength.

You can read Fortrywn's report here:  The Blood Totems

A view of the table

The Story
As Skorri paced back and forth on the deck of his ship, Raven's Beak, Kukala approached and said "We've spotted the island, right where the old crone said it would be."  Skorri grunted to himself, "That was money well spent - hopefully. This island doesn't appear on any of the known navigation charts. It remains to  be seen if the rest of her tale is true - ancient totems surrounded by loot."

Skorri bellowed to the crew, "Prepare to go ashore."

After a short paddle through a mild surf, Skorri and crew found themselves on a narrow stretch of sand.  The jungle came almost all the way to the water's edge.  As soon as the crew entered he jungle, it was like being smacked in the face with a warm towel.  Not to mention the musty decaying smell of he vegetation.  Skorri told Kukala (Hunter) to lead the way as the crew slowly picked its way through the undergrowth.

Another view of the table

After an hour or so of pushing through the jungle, they came to an area criss-crossed by several low ridges.  Stopping to survey the area, Skorri and crew noticed several totems or idols scattered throughout the area.  They were overgrown and seemed to exude a faint hum of power.

Skorri moves forward toward the nearest totem.  As he got closer he feel a slight tingling of his blood.  Additionally he noticed a small stone set in the ground immediately in front of the totem.  Feeling uncomfortable and wanting to move away as quickly as possible, Skorri Surges to move the stone.  As he does so, he is hit with a blood burn of twice the normal intensity (Successful use of the Surge ability, takes extra damage due to the totem's negative effect).  He struggles with the stone for a moment before managing to pry it up (succeeds with his Will roll against the totem), revealing a small treasure chest.  In an attempt to escape further pain, Skorri moves towards a nearby ridge.  As he climbs up, he sees a monkey totem hidden in a small copse of trees.  Blue Boy moves forward behind Skorri and retrieves the uncovered treasure.  He then heads towards the beach with the treasure safely tucked into his backpack.

Blue Boy recovers a treasure

Agger decides to Summon Animal to hinder the other Heritors and detects the approach of a large snake.  He mentally vectors it to seek out and attack Herndon's crew.

Taucher has also spotted a totem.  He moves up a small hill to check it out followed by Hat Chet.  The rest of the crew all move forward looking for more totems.  Hopefully they are all guarding treasures.

Skorri and Chu Wat recover a treasure

Skorri makes it to the top of the hill.  As he nears the monkey totem, he again feels a tingling sensation.  He decides not to use one of his abilities as he reaches down and grabs hold of the stone in front of the totem.  This time the stone easily moves aside revealing another small chest (successfully engages the totem with his Will).  Chu Wat following his boss, reaches down and picks up the treasure.  Out of the corner of his eye, Skorri spots movement in the brush off to his left.  He points out the opposing crew to his young Warden.  Looking in the direction indicated by Skorri, Agger identifies Fortrywn's crew.  Remembering the kerfuffle from the last excursion, Agger anticipates some trouble.  He quickly Envenoms one of Skorri's arrows as the clouds begin to thicken (One of the other Wardens cast Call Storm).

After carefully checking out the totem, Taucher grabs a tree limb and uses it to pry up the stone foot piece (successfully uses his Will against the totem).  While Hat Chet recovers the revealed treasure.  Wu also manages to overcome a totem with his Will.  Yen Lo picks up the treasure.

Taucher and Hat Chet near a totem

Across the jungle, Herndon's Tomb Raider sees the large snake and moves to attack it.  Bobbing and weaving, the snake avoids the sword thrust, striking him on the arm.  The large snake then follows up with a lightning quick lunge at the Tomb Raider, its fangs sinking deep into his neck.  The shock from the strike and the effects of the poison takes the Tomb Raider out of action.  As he slumps to the ground, the large snake surveyed around for his next victim.  But before he can react, he is shot down by several archers.

Skorri's crew heading towards a totem

As he turns to move down the ridge with the treasure, Chu Wat just barely dodges an arrow from Fortrywn's archer.  Skorri spotted the archers shot.  With a single fluid motion, he unshoulders his bow, notches an arrow, and snaps fires back at him.  His arrow is hindered somewhat by his target's leather jerkin but the arrow embeds itself with minor damage.  However, the poison starts to takes affect immediately and the archer doubles over in pain.  "That'll teach the cheeky fellow" he thinks as Skorri glares at Fortrywn's archer, daring him to make a threatening move.  After a few moments the archer decides its better to run away and live another day.  After the near miss, Chu Wat also decides to quickly run out of the enemy archer's line of sight. 

Fortrywn's crew

Agger, detecting that his summoned snake has died, quickly casts Summon Animal again.  This time a slow moving snapping turtle heeds the call.  With a chuckle, Agger once again directs the animal towards Herndon's crew.  The snapping turtle withstands three volleys of arrow, each one bouncing off its tough shell.


Taucher spots two skeletons heading toward him and Hat Chet.  He moves forwards to engage them both to protect the treasure.  He skillfully fights them both but no one takes any damage.
Kukala has spotted one of Gregorious' thieving crew dragging a chest through the jungle.  He waves at Agger to get his attention.  Agger understands his intention and casts Envenom on one of arrows.  Kukala takes careful aim and releases his arrow.  The arrow flies straight and true....and then strikes a tree limb.  The crewman vanishes from sight as Amrod tried to get a shot off as well.

Kukala and Amrod take shots at Gregorious' crew

Taucher was still engaged with the two skeletons.  Suddenly he started to jump around, slapping at his armor.  It seems a bumble bee got inside his leather jerkin.  While he was distracted, the two skeletons whacked him on both sides of his head at the same time.  He immediately forgot about the bee as he crumpled to ground.  When he recovered (slung over Wu's shoulder), besides the two bumps on his head, he had 4 or 5 bee stings.  The crew won't let him forget this incident for some time.

Taucher fighting two skeletons - Spoiler Alert - He loses.....

Determining that Fortrywn and his crew are not a threat, Skorri looks around to assess the status of his crew.  Several crew members are hurrying back toward the beach carrying treasure.  He then spies Taucher being unceremoniously taken down by the two skeletons.  Skorri charges into contact.  The slow lumbering movements of his opponents allows him to easily beat one of them into a pile of bones.  Pumped up and little peeved at Taucher being being bested, his blood boils a bit as he Backswings at the remaining skeleton.  Its head flies off into the jungle.  The headless skeleton stands there for a couple seconds before falling to the ground.  Sensing Skorri using his abilities once again, Agger cast Water of Life on him to heal the damage caused by using his Heritor abilities.

Skorri takes down two skeletons

Skorri sounds recall and notices his crew starting to head towards the beach.  Wu stops to sling Taucher over his shoulder.  Sensing that the snapping turtle has met its fate, Agger can't resist casting Summon Animal one more time.  As he hears the buzzing of a giant wasp, he giggles as he sends his pet towards Herndon's crew one more time.

Skorri waits until the last of crew has withdrawn before he fades into the jungle.  Another successful foray to one of the Ghost Archipelago islands results in four treasures recovered (one of them was the central treasure).

The crew and its booty

Epilogue
A very successful game but little action the part of Skorri's crew.  Even though he was surrounded by four opposing Heritors, there was never any danger to his crew.  Except for the action with Fortrywn's archer - but that was really no danger :-).  If it hadn't been for the skeletons, Skorri may have fallen asleep.

The recovery of the four treasures resulted in 240 gold coins.  With the existing gold in Skorri's treasury, a quick return trip to port might be in order to replace the archer he loss a couple expeditions ago.

I will just barely get this report posted before our next campaign game which is just 2 days away.