Devilry Afoot: Lughnasa (Lammas) 1626 - Diabolical Doings at Dedmere

Mark returns to 17th century Rutlandshire for a troll hunt with Devilry Afoot!

The long-abandoned plague village of Dedmere has been taken over by a pair of Trolls, who plan to sniff out the mass burial pit and grind the bones from it to make their bread. But they were interrupted by the noted antiquarian (and professional hunter) John Aubrey and his colleague Will Bunbury, who were in the area searching for a Druid temple and allowed enthusiasm to overcome caution as dusk fell. Aubrey and Bunbury are both in my Character Progression Roster and are profiled accordingly (Photo #1).

John Aubrey: Scholar (Erudite, Astrologer) Flagellant. Astrologer casts are: 7,8.
Equipped with: sword, holy item, lantern.
Adds this time: Holy water x3. Funds in pocket 18s.

William Bunbury: Goodman (Penitent, Strong) Backslider.
Equipped with: blunderbuss, sword.
Adds this time: silver shot x3, dog (named Ratter). Funds in pocket 5s

Here is the scene of action, with the Trolls (upper L) and Hunters (lower R) in starting positions. The standing stones at lower R are what has brought the Hunters to Dedmere. There are no Innocents, Dedmere is ill-omened and given a wide berth by locals even in daytime (Photo #2).

Turn 1. Chit-pull: TTHH
Both trolls stalked towards the hunters, coming directly through the mere towards Aubrey and Bunbury. The hunters reciprocated, though they advanced more cautiously. Bunbury used his second activation to fire his blunderbus at the closer troll, and hit, but the troll’s tough hide defied even the silver shot and the monster took no harm. This is not a promising start (Photo #3).

Turn 2. Chit-pull: HTTH
Aubrey activated first with two actions. He used 2 vials of holy water to sprinkle himself and Bunbury. The trolls stopped their advance, perhaps taken aback by the gunshot. One ran towards the ruined church to hide, but couldn’t make it into the shadows. The other yelled ferociously and waved its club (intimidation), but the hunters resisted their fear, strengthened by the holy water, and stood their ground.

Then the trolls activated again. The troll running to hide continued and reached the shadows of the ruined church, but the other moved towards the hunters, ending up just short of them. Bunbury activated last, with two actions. He reloaded and fired his blunderbuss again (Substituting the astrologer rolls of 7 to hit, and 8 to wound. So the troll rook 1W (Should have been 2W, I miscalculated the mods for troll special rules + silver shot, but never mind) (Photo #4).

Turn 3. Chit-pull: HHTT
Aubrey went first again, with only one activation. He sprinkled his last vial of holy water at the troll, which fled screaming and took another 1W. A second flee move took the troll into the shadows of the small cottage. Bunbury, who also had only one activation success (clearly both hunters need a moment to recover from that close encounter), reloaded with his last charge of silver shot (Photo #5).

Now the trolls activate, stalking towards the hunters again. But in their second activation, only one continues stalking, while the other again runs to hide in the ruined church.

Turn 4. Chit-pull: HHTT
Bunbury quails at the sight of the monster stalking towards him, and fails both activation chances. But Aubrey activates successfully, and quotes scripture at the troll. He passes his mod resolve test thanks to his possession of a holy item, and the troll flees again, back to the shadows of the ruined cottage.

The troll hiding in the church shadows tries intimidation, but as the hunters are >6” away they aren’t affected. The troll hiding by the cottage stalks forward yet again. The monsters activate a second time and this time the scaredy-troll stays hiding and the wounded troll keeps stalking (Photo #6).

Turn 5. Chit-pull: THTH
At last the trolls get to go first. The stalking troll, wounded but once again only about 2” away from the hunters, attacks Bunbury but fails to hit (as does Bunbury’s opportunity response). The troll in hiding rushes to join the fight but has a long way to come. Bunbury gets a single activation, and as he’s not in combat (IMO anyway, as no blows have landed), shoots his blunderbuss again. Third time’s the charm, as he scores a hit and 2W, taking the troll to 4/5W (Photo #7).

Now the trolls activate again. The wounded monster attacks, again failing to connect, and the troll stalking towards the action keeps stalking. Aubrey activates last, only 1 success, and move/attacks the wounded troll but fails to land a hit. The troll’s opportunity attack in response also fails.

Turn 6. Chit-pull: HTTH
Bunbury gets 2 activations. He steps back, easily ducking the wounded troll’s opportunity attack, and reloads, tho with lead shot. No more silver shot available. Both trolls get attack activations and target Aubrey. The wounded troll fails to hit as usual, and Aubrey strikes back and gets lucky (thanks be to God) dishing the troll a last 1W (total 5W), and the monster staggers and falls (Photo #8).

A few seconds later the surviving troll charges into contact with Aubrey (luckily not into his rear arc) and attacks, but fails to hit, and Aubrey once again ripostes (oppo attack) which inflicts 1W. Then Bunbury gets his activation chance. Two successes, he concentrates and attacks the troll, hitting but not inflicting any damage (Photo #9).

Turn 7. Chit-pull: THHT
The troll pulls the first activation chit, and switches from attack to intimidate. Aubrey passes his resolve test but Bunbury does not and retreats. Then Aubrey activates, 1 success, and fights on, but fails to hit the troll. Its opportunity response also fails. Bunbury goes next, also only a single success, and he moves towards the action, but at a tangent so as to line up a better shot. The troll gets its 2nd activation, and tries intimidation again. This time both hunters pass their resolve tests and stand firm (Photo #10).

Turn 8. Chit-pull: TTHH
This time the troll gets bored with threats, and goes back to actual violence. It attacks Aubrey but fails to hit and his response also misses. The troll tries again, swinging its club furiously, but again fails to connect, and this time Aubrey slips through and inflicts another 1W.

Now Aubrey activates with two successes. He attacks but fails, and the troll fails too, then Aubrey steps back, taking a hit from the troll as he does so, but it is just a graze, no damage to speak of.

Now Bunbury is back in the game with two activations. He concentrates and shoots. He hits, and adds 2W to the troll, taking it to 4/5W (Photo #11).

Turn 9. Chit-pull: THTH
The troll is badly wounded, but trolls are not cowards. It switches back to Inimidation, perhaps as a way of regathering strength. But both Hunters stand their ground, buoyed by the holy water they have been sprinkled with. Bunbury reloads and shoots again, hitting but not finding the final wound he was looking for. The troll attacks Aubrey, hitting him and causing 2W. Aubrey activates last, retreating (the troll’s oppo attack misses) (Photo #12).

Turn 10. Chit-pull: TH
The troll attacks Bunbury, who is closer than Aubrey. It fails to hit. Bunbury oppo attacks, and inflicts the 5thW needed to kill the troll (Photo #13).

*************

Aftermath
Aubrey fully recovered from his wounds with no lasting effects.
The two hunters shared the 120s bounty given for the destruction of the two trolls.
Each gained 3EXP from taking part in the hunt, and surviving a successful hunt, and from despatching a monster.

And Aubrey is doubly happy because he has located the “ancient Druid temple” and will be able to describe it in letters to his wide circle of correspondents. He may even remember to mention the trolls.

Here’s a last high-level look at the field (Photo #14).