League of Nil-ith Horn Chronicles #2- Bothvar’s Wolves

Posted on June 1, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

After the League of Nil-ith Horn troops drove off the ambushing humans, Gazzi-Ura treated Eskander with a hemus healing potion and the soldiers removed the road obstructions. They continued north, Gazzi-Ura and his orcs scouting.

LNHC_02_0014web

Gazzi-Ura picked up tracks of a group of wild men following them. Eskander and his officers gave chase and engaged a few of them. These humans were clad in wolf skins and moved like panthers through the trees. The League soldiers killed one, but the rest vanished into the woods.

Near dark Eskander had his men and orcs set up camp with heavy guard. There passed a tense few hours until wolf howls were heard and the wild men burst from the darkness. Several ulfhednar went for the command tent. Eskander quickly responded and slew his attackers.

Gazzi-Ura charged at the shaman on the hill, but was kept from his target by 2 axe-wielding savages. Eskander ordered his officers on horseback and rode to aid Gazzi-Ura.

LNHC_02_0104web

By the time Eskander reached the hill, Gazzi-Ura was lying wounded and the shaman had fled.

The League of Nil-ith Horn soldiers slew several of the wild men while the rest howled and escaped into the forest.

It was Eskander’s turn to give Gazzi-Ura the healing hemus. They secured their camp and prepared to continue their trek to the wooden outpost of Rostok hold.

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #37- Kednvald Bridge

Posted on May 18, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

The urog king, Valden the Ruthless, marched his massive army north on Kednvald Road, intent on destroying the human outpost at Skara and claiming the northern peninsula for the Vangen Orc Kingdom. Kvig Melgarson and his retinue harried the western flank of the orc army to keep the orcs from the Gautrian lands west of Skarken River, but had too few forces to inflict serious damage. Kvig, Wynston and Bleddyn decided they had to cut the flow of relief forces and supplies from Kednvald to effectively stop Valden. The surest way to accomplish that was to destroy Kednvald Bridge.

Kvig took his companions, and a small group of Ulfhednar who were fleet of foot, and raced south. They traveled with little rest and no extra gear, save for one barrel of cinder sand. Their journey was briefly slowed in the swamp of Ondskap Mere (which the Great Northern Orcs called Sharog Mokal) where Wynston succumbed to the putrid air. There were several volunteers to carry her, and she was mobile by the time they reached Kednvald Bridge.

The weather was foul and damp, and they encountered no orc patrols until the scouts at the bridge. Wynston and Bleddyn silently eliminated them, and spied through the gloom across the river. On the other side of the ravine was a column of League of Nil-ith Horn orcs. They were held from crossing by the Vangen urog in command of the bridge.

Kvig took advantage of the disorder to strike the orc camp on his side. Wynston climbed along the cliff face and under the bridge, a cask of cinder sand tied to her back.

The men fought fiercely against the better armored orcs, desperate to buy Wynston time to set the bridge alight. The weather kept the fire down, and Kvig’s forces took casualties.

The wooden planks caught at last, but the flames did not keep back the more psychotic warriors.

The cinder sand was burning steadily now. Unfortunately, the fire gave off good light for the orc captain to spot Wynston. Unable to avoid his reach and escape the burning bridge underneath, Wynston vaulted to meet him.

A misstep by the orc captain and a timely lunge by Wynston sent the orc plunging into the waters. The bridge was in full flame as Wynston sprinted across to rejoin Kvig, Bleddyn and the Ulfhednar. As the bridge fell into the chasm, the humans broke combat with the orcs and ran for the swamp road. The embattled orcs let the humans retreat into the night.

next: Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #38- Skara Will Burn>>

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #44- Winter Wolves

Posted on May 13, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

Wynston freed Jarl Kvig and Bleddyn from the dungeons of the keep at Timlin Town. Kvig’s brother Hegg ordered his troops into the night after them. Wynston had fast horses tethered in the village behind the keep. When the trio approached, riders came near.

Bleddyn readied the horses while Kvig stepped out of hiding and confronted the cavalry. Honor-bound to capture Kvig, the riders asked Kvig to yield. Kvig was unwilling to attack the men, but refused to return. The riders were equally unwilling to join Kvig’s cause and one charged him. Kvig dashed into cover of the trees. Wynston was willing, and waiting, and grappled the rider from his saddle.

At that, the cavalry blew their horn and Wynston, Bleddyn and Kvig mounted up. They spurred their horses through the huts and past the cavalry but couldn’t outdistance them. More Kildarian cavalry joined the chase. Capture seemed imminent when a wolf’s howl was heard. Bleddyn’s ulfhednar screamed over a hill and engaged the cavalry.

They knocked a few riders from their horses, while the other riders broke and raced for reinforcments. Kvig ordered the injured cavalry tended to and left tied up.

The ulfhednar escorted Kvig, Bleddyn and Wynston to a place of relative safety in the hills. There Halvdan, their leader, told Kvig of a haunted ruins where the trio could winter. They had less fear of ghosts than of Hegg, so decided to wait there for the spring season.

They made a habitable dwelling in a vacant foundation near the stones. Boredom eventually drove them to explore the ruins one clear morning. They picked their way through the dank interior. Kvig stopped short in terror as a troll sprung from the darkness.

Then Kvig screamed in terror and ran away.

A second troll attacked and ran, Bleddyn right behind it. Wynston dashed across the room, uncertain at first whether to flee or follow Bleddyn. The first troll slithered through the ruins and Wynston went after it.

It dropped into a deeper chamber in the floor. Wynston followed. She looked briefly around the shadows of the chamber which could hide any number of trolls, and had Bleddyn throw her a rope and lift her out. They went to find Kvig and return to their warm home hurt and empty-handed.

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #45- The Outlaws>>

<<Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #43- Fit for a King

League of Nil-ith Horn Chronicles #1- Road to Rostok

Posted on May 7, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

The League of Nil-ith Horn outpost of Rostok Hold has produced much wealth for a few powerful families in the Grunevaldian third. Boyar Thonkrik and his devoted League soldiers had provided a steady stream of slaves and silver. Recently, the Targ leader Bothvar Helgesson has orchestrated many attacks on League of Nil-ith Horn caravans on the road between Rostok and the fortress of Kisevald and made the route impassable. Rather than support Boyar Thonkrik to the north at Rostok, the League of Nil-ith Horn orcs stationed in Kisevald went raiding the tumultuous North Gautrian kingdom west across the lake.

Boyar Gert Theovald had been conquering the lands on the southeast side of the lake and needed the silver and slaves from his ally Boyar Thonkrik at Rostok Hold. Theovald arranged a commission in the League of Nil-ith Horn army for his bastard son, Eskander Toshe, and ordered him to open the road from Kisevald and deliver men and supplies to Rostok.

Eskander arrived at Kisevald with a unit of Gautrian Guardsmen, a unit of orc smerdi, and four laden wagons.

The orc commander Graf Gorik was meting out punishment to a unit of orcs who had been routed from their camp at the mouth of Kisilev Lake three nights past. Graf Gorik himself whipped and beheaded the unit’s leader, then took one out of every ten soldiers and executed them in the same manner. Once the grisly affair was over, Graf Gorik promoted the elite infantry soldier Gazzi-Ura to head the decimated unit.

Graf Gorik was irate when Eskander delivered orders instructing the Graf to assign a unit of orcs to escort Eskander to Rostok Hold. Grudgingly, Graf Gorik gave him Gazzi-Ura’s reduced unit, and the next morning Eskander and Gazzi-Ura led their troops and goods up the road to Rostok Hold.

The road was filled with certain danger from humans and savage orcs, and potential danger from any orc tribe that might not honor their alliance with the League of Nil-ith Horn. The first attack came soon after Eskander and Gazzi-Ura left the protective reach of Kisevald. Their caravan was stopped by large boulders in the road.

As they moved the rocks, a band of Upplanders burst from the trees with volleys of arrows and javelins. Men set upon the caravan from both sides. The Upplanders inflicted what damage they could against the heavy League armor.

An enormous man sprang out of the woods to chop at Eskander.

They fought bitterly, until Eskander fell from his horse. Gazzi-Ura charged at the huge man, wounding him severely. The wild men broke away and faded into the forest.

Gautrian Games

Posted on April 29, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

In the next Fantasy Warriors battle, 2 of our junior players fought against myself in a Gautrian (Red banners and Blue banners) versus Kildarian exercise with equal forces.

The girls each had a unit of Gautrain heavy cavalry and a unit of heavy infantry. I commanded 4 units of blue-and-yellow Kildarians, 2 of cavalry and 2 of infantry.

I deployed my cavalry on the hill to meet the Red Gautrains, and lined my infantry up on the right, ready to slowly move up the field against the Blue. (The large landscape piece in the middle of the table isn’t really there.)

Blue put her cavalry on the attack and charged into my infantry line. Next to them, her Gautrian infantry became mired in the swamps. Red started the march down the hill with her infantry, while her cavalry waited to pick their target.

My heavy infantry and Blue’s cavalry took slight losses. Blue’s infantry slogged through the swamp. Red attacked my center cavalry with her cavalry. On my left flank, Red’s infantry approached my cavalry.

Blue’s infantry charged into the fray, displacing and disorganizing her own cavalry but decimating my first infantry unit. My second unit closed ranks and continued the fight as Blue’s cavalry crashed forward into the infantry. Both sides’ cavalry units in the center lost riders. My cavalry on the left held strong and dealt many blows to Red’s infantry unit.

Blue’s mounted standard bearer occupied my remaining infantry. Blue Warlord got her infantry into oppose orders and pulled them across the field to bolster Red’s infantry unit. I prevailed in the center and attacked the scrum on my left.

Red’s infantry fell to the swords and spears of my riders. Blue’s forces fought bravely, but in the end were overcome by my cavalry.

Ambush on the Road to Kednvald

Posted on April 26, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

This Fantasy Warrior battle featured a father-daughter team as a League of Nil-ith Horn Orc relief force ordered to the Vangen capital of Kednvald. They were attacked en route by a rebellious Great Northern Hertog urog and myself, his unaffiliated urog ally.

Scouting rolls decided that the League orcs form their units anywhere in the middle 2 foot stretch of the 6-inch-wide road. The Great Northern Orcs could deploy no closer than 12 inches to either side of the road. Daughter commanded a unit of elite medium infantry armed with pikes, an elite orc hero, and a unit of veteran smerdi heavy infantry with spears and shields. Father played the elite warlord, a unit of veteran medium infantry with swords and shields, and a second unit of veteran smerdi . They marched up the road: Daughter’s elite unit and hero in the front, followed by Father’s veteran unit and Warlord, his smerdi, then her smerdi followed. The Great Northern Hertog urog warlord had his units hidden in the woods ahead of the League of Nil-ith Horn column. A unit of elite urog valdgrafs with shields and heavy armor fought for the Hertog, along with another urog hero and his unit of orc reavers with 2-handed weapons and medium armor. I commanded an urog warlord with a unit of veteran reavers who bore shields and wore heavy armor, and an urog heroine and her unit of elite orc ambushers. My warlord and reavers climbed the ridge for a more threatening position of the road. The elite orc ambushers displayed uncanny speed as they and the heroine attacked the unit of smerdi at the rear. There was a great clash, but few casualties. The Hertog brought his unit of elite heavy infantry around the woods and bogs, while he attacked the League of Nil-ith Horn medium unit in the road with his reavers. Father answered the reavers in the road with his veteran shield unit, and attacked my reavers on the ridge with his smerdi infantry. Daughter sent her elite pike unit up the road at the Hertog and his elite heavy infantry.

The orcs fought furiously and soldiers began to fall.

Daughter found her elite unit wiped out quickly, save for the bannerman. When he fell, the Hertog and his valdgrafs continued down the road towards Father’s unit. Father’s smerdi proved more efficient killers as they eliminated my reavers on the ridge, then rushed down the hill to support his hand and shield unit.

But Daughter’s smerdi were worn down by the savage ambushers and the Great Northern orcs converged on the remaining League of Nil-ith Horn forces.

The rebellious Great Northern Orcs slaughtered the League of Nil-ith Horn forces.

And none of that relief force reached Kednvald.

Jevenkah Battles Teshub at Fantasy Warriors

Posted on February 7, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

We wanted to play-test some special abilities we’ve been researching/developing to bring mass combat Fantasy Warriors wargaming in line with the Conan D20 rules for RPGing, so we took to the table. We replayed the battle from Saturday night, with Teshub fighting as the League of Nil-ith horn (mostly) orc forces and myself as the Free Jarls of Gautria.

We each picked 2 special abilities (from a list of about 15 that Teshub will type up for me later). Teshub assigned “Last man standing” to his warlord, making the warlord the last figure removed in a unit, and “Bloodlust” which allowed him to put a unit into bloodlust. I chose “Diehard” for my leader, adding a +2 to his save, and applied “Legendary Unit” to my berserkers which added +1 attack die for every 3 figures in the unit.

The League of Nil-ith Horn warlord arrayed his 3 units of heavy infantry in the open, with a unit of medium armored Vangen orc mercenaries on his left, and 4 orc heroes to his right.

The Gautrian Jarl attempted to use the terrain to the advantage of his more mobile light ulfhednar and berserk units on his flanks, while his 2 slower infantry units kept to the center. The men of Gautria were bolstered by 2 enormous sword thane heroes and one giant champion.

Both leaders looked to stir their troops to victory.

As the League forces began their steady march toward the Gautrian lines, the LNH Warlord drew his 2 Orc spear units together to fight in 2 ranks. The Gautrian Jarl moved his spearmen into like formation.

The ulfhednar spread out on his right, and the berserks with their giant hero snuck through the trees on his left.

When they emerged from the woods, they saw the opposing phalanxes about to clash.

The spear units closed for attack and the bloodshed began.

The heavy armor and mighty heroes at the center of the battle proved the difference for the LNH as the Gautrians crumbled.

Unable to get his berserks into attack orders, the Jarl took his remaining heroes and plunged into the fray. Seeing the fierce human berserks confused and holding their ground, the LNH Warlord refused battle there. The Ulfhednar moved in to strike so the Vangen mercenaries were thrown into Bloodlust by their unit leader.

Enraged, the orcs savaged the Ulfhednar and annihilated the men in a single round. Now blood drunk, the crazed orcs slammed into the Gautrians finest unit, the Berserks! On both sides there was great carnage and loss of life as the two units annihilated each other in the flash of two handed weapons.

Alone and outnumbered the Gautrian had no choice but to surrender to the League of Nil-ith Horn Warlord.

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #43- Fit For a King

Posted on January 30, 2014 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

After Kvig Melgarson announced himself King to the bonders of Timlin, the current king Magnus declared Kvig an outlaw. Kvig’s brother Hegg, the jarl of Timlin, had his heavy cavalry bring Kvig to the keep in that town. Bleddyn and Wynston tried to infiltrate the keep, but Bleddyn was detected and himself captured. Wynston slipped out of the keep and into Timlin Town.

Wynston went to Kvig’s loyal priest and soldiers in their encampment and told them of the predicament their Jarl and Champion were in. They dispatched a runner to Bleddyn’s inn to warn his men. Alone, she returned to the keep to win free Kvig and Bleddyn.

Wynston climbed the tower and found two soldiers atop the dungeon entrance. Relying on her speed and strength, she bull-rushed the closest guard and knocked him off the wall. He fell with a thud by the barred window of the cell Kvig and Bleddyn were in.

Eyes wide, the second soldier backed away as Wynston threw open the hatch. Kvig and Bleddyn emerged and more guards responded to the fighting.

Wynston took to the catwalk and fixed a rope down. The keep was in a clamor at the escape.

The three heroes climbed down and sprinted toward the camp. Hegg’s knights came close behind to threaten Kvig’s troops. It would be a bloody battle to win free with Kvig’s retinue. There was no choice but for Kvig, Bleddyn, and Wynston to take to the night and sneak away.

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #44- Winter Wolves>>

<<Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #42- King of the Bonders

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #42- King of the Bonders

Posted on October 12, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

After the bonders had their voices heard in declaration for Kvig as king, many a man boasted of Kvig’s glorious battle deeds. Eventually, Kvig retired to the large tent with Halvdan, Roth, and a few of the other important bondi when word was brought of betrayal: a small group of the bonders from King Magnus’ clan were looking to make away in the night to warn the King of Kvig’s “treason”.

Wynston and Bleddyn quickly arrived behind the tent of the treacherous bonders to find several packing their belongings. Halvdan and Kvig approached from the front and accused Steinvar of Aremark. He spoke for the bonders from the King’s clan and admitted their plans, but no wrongdoing. He argued they were within their rights to leave out of duty to the true king. While he confronted Kvig, two of his men tried to slip out of the tent and into the stormy night. One evaded Wynston but Bleddyn captured, interrogated and slew the other.

With 10 traitorous bonders in his custody, Kvig and the bonders from Kvig’s fief of Strek returned to that village.

There was, as always, a warm welcome for Kvig from the adoring peasants of Strek. His wife-in-Strek was especially happy for him to see his young daughter.

As the village feasted, orc deserters from the Untak division of Valden’s army (Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40) sprung an attack.

Kvig and his companions handily defended Strek from the unorganized orcs, and continued the celebrations.

The bonders were eager to fight for Kvig, but next year, after the planting. Kvig seemed content to winter with them, however Wynston argued they needed to garner support now, while their victory at Skarken River was on everyone’s minds.

Wynston knew the jarls north over the lake would likely not give their loyalties to Kvig, but Kvig could still gain political prestige and military advantage if he had the support of Timlin’s many Kildarian knights who had fought under his banner at Skarken River. Wynston went to speak with the powerful Kildarian barons of Timlin, reminding them how Kvig kept the orcs out of their lands, and convincing the barons to come to Kvig in his hall at Strek.

First came Baron Vulmar, lord of Rathus and Herstal, leader of 50 Kildarian knights; he was bought with silver and the promise of the Barony of Timlin when the war was won.

The next baron Kvig courted was Austerchild Conley.

Austerchild felt Kvig’s choice of Vulmar for Baron of Timlin was foolish, but he would support Kvig if Kvig would marry Austerchild’s sister, Etterna.

Kvig declinced the proposition, but countered that he would find Etterna a Kildarian husband of proper station, say Vulmar, the future Baron of Timlin? Austerchild agreed and threw in with Kvig.

Unfortunately for Kvig, his eldest brother Hegg, the current jarl of Timlin, was not consulted on whether he would give up Timlin once all of Gautria was united under King Kvig’s banner! In fact, Hegg thought it was folly to challenge King Magnus. Once Hegg’s spies told him of the meetings going on at Strek, he began to fear for himself. On Hegg’s orders, Reinhard rode on Strek with 30 knights and escorted Kvig back to Timlin.

There Jarl Hegg berated Kvig for his ambitions and promised to deliver him up to King Magnus as a wedding present. Hegg demanded Kvig surrender his keen Thuringian warsword.

After handing over his heirloom sword, Kvig was unceremoniously dumped in the dungeon. That night, Wynston and Bleddyn came on 3 fast horses to the keep at Timlin.

Wynston infiltrated Hegg’s chambers undetected.

However, Bleddyn was discovered in the courtyard. Bleddyn surrendered, unwilling to shed the blood of those men who had fought Valden’s orc forces with him.

Wynston slipped away into the dark, leaving her jarl Kvig and his champion Bleddyn together in the dungeons of Timlin’s keep.

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #43- Fit for a King>>

<<Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #41- The Crows of Skarken

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #41- The Crows of Skarken

Posted on September 26, 2013 by SwordAndSorceryRPG

The dead from the Battle of Skarken River (SGK#40) were not so many as at first feared. The greivously wounded were tended with hemus healing potions, and slowly recovered. Those on their feet set about to looting and burning the orc corpses. Under the direction of their commanders, the more disciplined troops gathered the goods together to be split according to custom. While Kvig Melgarson and the other jarls made plans to break the army for the winter, the bonders demanded their immediate release and payment equal to that of the thanes.

Jarl Kvig came to the commotion and found in favor of the bonders, delivering a full share to those lowly troops and angering some amongst the thanes. Kvig then lead his victorious forces across the river and back to Timlin Town for the feasting!

There were many with favors to ask of the champion Bleddyn after the battle.

One of those who came to Bleddyn’s inn was the giant bonder Halvdan, who told Bleddyn of the Bonders’ Thing. Halvdan sought Bleddyn’s word he would get Jarl Kvig to attend.

The Thing was held at Alnar, the site of Kvig’s first victory over the orcs. Bonders from all clans were present, those from the lands of Timlin as well as those from across the lake. Kvig and his companions came disguised through the camp, and listened to Halvdan call for a king who would not run scared from the orcs, as King Magnus had intended for their armies to do. “The clans of Gautria need a king who will keep the orcs from invading the lands of men,” roared Halvdan. “A king who can lead us in triumphant battle against the orcs. We have such a man who should be our king. The man who defeated Valden the Ruthless at the Battle of Skarken River. The man who has fought to keep our homes safe: Kvig Melgarson!”

With the bonders in a frenzy, Kvig revealed himself. The chants of “King Kvig” began from the crowd, and Kvig felt the full might of the bonders surround him.

Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #42- King of the Bonders>>

<<Sagas of the Gautrian Kings #40- The Battle of Skarken River Conclusion

Sword And Sorcery RPG

Fantasy Roleplaying Games in Miniature

Tag: gaming