Devilry Afoot: Lughnasa 1624 (part 3/4) - a plethora of Ghouls

Some time after the Troll incursion, Sir Barty Hardacre wrote to his cousin Mistress Prudence* to describe the event. She’s an experienced monster hunter, and on receipt of the news she paid a visit to Frommage. For research purposes (she has the Scholar archetype).

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*MP (and her sometime associate Father Ted) featured in some of my playtest games, and she brings the following accumulated profile.

Mistress Prudence

Scholar. Astrologer (6, 10), Steady aim, Huntsman, Nightsight, *Backslider.

Sword, Crossbow, Buffcoat, Cuirass.

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It didn’t take Prudence long to discern that the Devil’s work was afoot in the parish of Frommage. The faint but unmistakable foul odour of ghouls was wafting about, for those (like her) who knew the signs. The inexperienced often confuse it with the stench of open drains. In fact a plethora of five Ghouls is lurking in a copse not far away, waiting for the witching hour.

The ghouls are identified by the colours of their tatters of clothing. 

So the Watch was at full available strength, with professional support, when the Ghouls struck. Turncoat and Slide are at the S end of Frommage near the burned-out house. Bottom and Pole are in the centre of town. Prudence is in one of the houses, to be determined randomly when the attack begins.

Turn 1

The chit-pull sequence was  WWGWWGGW (for Watch & Ghouls). The Ghouls appeared in two groups. Two came in from the W, near the red tree. The other three came straight down the High Street from the N.

The W group, White & Brown Ghouls, made straight for Slide & Turncoat, nimbly jumping the wall and fence. White wounded Slide’s dog, and Brown intimidated Slide, causing him to retreat. 

The N group advanced towards Pole & Bottom, who retreated but were attacked. Pole took a wound. 

Last to activate was Prudence, who (it turned out) had been in the small house with the timber upper storey. However, perhaps asleep, she failed both activation D10. 

Turn 2

The chit-pull sequence was WWGWGWGW. The Ghouls attacking Slide and the dog didn’t inflict or suffer any more damage, and unaccountably ran off into the darkness (a Hide and a Flee reaction). But in the main fight, Pole took another wound and Prudence took 2W. She’s not having a good night and her armour couldn’t stop this attack. One of these attacking Ghouls ran off too. But they have done quite a lot of damage to the Watch.

Turncoat has snuffed and stowed his lantern, as he cannot effectively wield his Polearm while carrying it. 

Turn 3

The chit-pull sequence was WWWGWGG. Disaster for the Watch. A relentless wave of attacks and Intimidation moves by the Ghouls, with crucial activation fails by some of the Watch, saw the front line pushed back, with Pole and Prudence both OOA, Bottom with 2W and Turncoat with 1W. Only White Ghoul has been hit, with 2W (after deducting other hits to other Ghouls due to their ‘cannibal’ trait).

Turn 4

The chit-pull sequence was WWGGWG. The carnage continued. Turncoat and Bottom were both put OOA by receiving a third wound. That left only Slide and his (1W) dog. Who legged it.

This final view shows Slide & dog running for their lives, with three Ghouls stalking after them. The two other Ghouls in the background are feasting on Turncoat and Bottom. White and Green Ghoul each have 2W, so not entirely one-sided, but the outlook for the Innocents of Frommage, asleep in their houses, and now with no defenders, looks dire. 

 

Turn 5

Played on paper only. There are three inhabited houses, and I checked each to see what would happen when a Ghoul tried to break in. Ghouls have only two chances to ‘defeat’ the door of a building. Time is against at them as dawn is close. 

The half timbered house held a family of four who were all slaughtered.

The largest house held three Innocents. Three were slaughtered and one fled off table. 

The third house was empty.

Washing up

Mistress Prudence  recovered from her injuries but is traumatised by the experience. Luckily she has enough Experience points in hand to overcome this.

Margaret Pole died of her injuries.

Turncoat made a full recovery.

Bottom also recovered but carries horrific scars.

Slide’s dog automatically makes a full recovery.

There are no bounties as no monsters were killed.

All human survivors get +1 experience point for taking part in the hunt.

Afterwards, all survivors pay Upkeep from their purses, and two Watchmen, Bumpkin and Slide, stash their Clubs and buy Swords.

The Ghouls slink away before dawn. They couldn’t eat another mouthful.