Devilry Afoot: Lughnasa 1624 (part 4/4)

It was a dark and stormy night (no, really). The Watch have been sent to the ruined abbey, a couple of miles outside Frommage, to break up a coven of witches reported to be meeting there. It’s a chance to regain their reputation and confidence after they failed to protect the village from the Ghoul attack.

Dogberry and Margaret Pole have been killed in action in the last couple of months. The remaining four Watch members who must undertake this new expedition are Turncoat, Bumpkin, Slide (& dog), and Bottom.

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Here’s a bats-eye view of the area. The stone walls are all that is left of the Abbey. The central pillar is apparently now the focal point of the Witches’ rituals, as indicated by the peeled hazel wands placed around it. The Witches - Rapunzel, Grizelda, and Bob - are in the centre near the pillar. Here they are in close-up.

The hunting party can be seen with their lanterns approaching from the North. 

Turn 1

The chit-pull sequence was HWHWHH (H hunters, W witches). The Witches were startled at first by the unexpected visitors (Grizelda initially Fled) but after that is was Charms flying thick and fast. By the end of the turn Bottom and Slide were charmed, and Turncoat had had to be slapped out of it by Bumpkin, the only Hunter who resisted the charms. 

The pink tokens represent hunters who are charmed. Yellow for lanterns.

Turn 2

The chit-pull sequence was WHHWHH. The hunters did better this time, mostly continuing to advance. This seems to have panicked the coven, prompting all Witches to flee as their 2nd activation. But not before Bumpkin actually attacked Bob, inflicting 1W.

Turn 3

The chit-pull sequence was WHWHHH. The witches are alternating between Charm and Flee activations, with a few Intimidates and the occasional - and so far unsuccessful - attempt to summon an Imp. So now two of them are hiding in the shadows of the orange tree, although Bumpkin, despite being Charned successfully activated on 2 x D10 and has moved into contact with Bob. His ‘move & attack’ failed though, as did Bob’s opportunity attack in response.

Turn 4

The chit-pull sequence was HHWHWH. Now all the Witches are hiding in the shadows of the tree. Tho ‘hiding’ is a relative term as they’re all illuminated by the lanterns carried by Bumpkin and Turncoat. There have been some attacks and Bumpkin has taken 1W and been charmed again. Turncoat however has resisted several charms hurled at him. Slide and Bottom are still hanging about in the rear, bedevilled by activation fails.

For the Witches I am using red tokens next to the figures to show wounds. But for the hunters I am marking wounds on their profile sheets off table. So far, Witch Bob and Hunter Bumpkin each have 1W. 

Turn 5

The chit-pull sequence was WHHWH. Bumpkin received another 2W from Bob and is OOA, and Turncoat was charmed by Grizelda. But then Slide rushed up to free Turncoat from the enchantment, and Turncoat then attacked and killed Bob. Bottom also finally made it into contact with Rapunzel, but his attack, and her opportunity response, both failed. 

Turn 6

The chit-pull sequence wasWHWHH. The two remaining witches both fled, and I ruled they would flee away from the orange tree to seek new hiding places. Thus Rapunzel ended up in the shadows of the stone wall, and Grizelda in the shadows of the red tree. Both were attacked, but both attacks failed, and Bottom was forced to retire in face of Intimidation by Rapunzel. 

Turn 7

The chit-pull sequence was WWHHH. Rapunzel takes her chance, clambering over the stone wall and escaping into the darkness. Grizelda fights on alone, fending off both Turncoat and Slide, neither side taking any wounds tho Turncoat is charmed again. Bottom rushes towards the action …

Turn 8

The chit-pull sequence wasWHHWH. Grizelda keeps fighting, but takes 1W. She Intimidates Turncoat, but later he shakes off his charm. 

Turn 9 

The chit-pull sequence was HWHWH. Turncoat moves back with a move+attack, giving Grizelda another wound. She manages to Intimidate Slide, but then he moves back into contact (no activation point to attack with). She Intimidares Slide (again) and Turncoat, but Bottom is unmoved. He attacks, scores another wound, and Grizelda is dead.

Washing up

Bumpkin will recover from his wound, but slowly, and will suffer penalties in the next hunt but be fully healed if he survives that. 

There are 2 dead witches so that’s 40 shillings bounty to be divided between the four hunters. 

The hunt has not been a success as one witch escaped, though it’s been good for the standing of the Watch in the eyes of the village (and of themselves). 

Turncoat and Bottom each gain +2 experience points, and Bumpkin and Slide gain +1 each. 

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That’s the end of the Lughnasa 1624 hunts. Of the six Watch members who started (leaving Prudence out of reckoning) two have died (Dogberry, Margaret Pole) and four have survived. Bumpkin has two lasting injuries but he also has 4 experience points so is able to ‘cure’ his arm injury using these. The others also have between 3 and 7 experience points each (4 points buys you a new skill). Slide and Bumpkin have upgraded their kit from Club to Sword. All have money in their purses, ranging from Turncoat (14s) to Bottom (39s) after paying upkeep costs.

If I pick up these characters again for future use as the Frommage Watch, I’ll be limiting them to quite modest upgrades. I want to maintain their profile as somewhat reluctant, ill trained, and poorly equipped village police. Upgrades they earn or buy would most likely be spent on ale and other such priorities.

Cheers from Pattaya

Mark