Devilry Afoot: Samhain 1624 (part 2) - the Rutland Revenants
The second in a three-part dispatch from Mark relating events recently transpired in Rutlandshire...
It’s two or three weeks after the terrifying news of the ‘orrible murders on the Uppingham road, and things are beginning to calm down. Anyway, this sort of thing was not going to keep the gentry of Rutland from their normal avocations. So we find a party of deer stalkers in the woods on the Cottesmore estate, walking back to the house at dusk after a fine sporting day. It comprised three gentlemen and their men.
Sir Thomas Bertram, Bt. Gentleman, Demonologist. Sadist. Sword, Flintlock.
Brompton. Follower. Drunkard*. Lantern, Spontoon.
Henry Crawford Esq. Gentleman. Secret witch. Sword, Flintlock, Silver shot**
Cleeve. Follower. Secret witch. Pole-arm.
John Maddox Esq. Gentleman. Flagellant***. Sword, Flintlock.
Maury. Follower. Gambler. Lantern, Club.
* affected by drink. -1 on all activation & resolve tests for the game.
** Crawford was a cautious man.
*** unaffected.
In the photo above, we see (L-R) Bertram, Crawford, and Maddox, with their men behind.
The Revenants seem to have attacked the party as they walked through a lightly wooded area about a mile from the house. As far as is known the fiends comprised the horsemen Judas and Pilate, and two revenant hunting hounds.
Turn 1. Chit-pull: MMHHH (Monsters, Hunters).
The Revenants came in but didn’t get close to contacting the hunting party, only managing to move short distances. They also became rather spread out. Bertram and Maddox took concentrated shots at the monsters, inflicting 1W on Pilate. Crawford, and the men, moved forwards, with the servants forming on the flanks of the gents.
The yellow tokens next to Brompton and Maury are lanterns they are holding.
Turn 2. Chit-pull: MHMHH.
Th Monsters continued their slow advance, none getting to move more than 2.5”. The Hunters held position, tho they closed up their intervals a bit. Bertram froze with fear (failed both activation rolls). Maddox reloaded his flintlock. Crawford, whose piece is loaded with silver shot, held his fire.
Turn 3. Chit-pull: HMMHH.
The Revenants are closing in, and one of the hounds attacked Maury, inflicting 1W. But the gentlemen rallied. Bertram recovered his wits and reloaded his piece. Maddox shot at Pilate inflicting 2W, and Crawford shot at Judas, also causing 2W. The servants were less effective, either failing activation, failing to wound the hound in contact, or being ordered to hold position.
Turn 4. Chit-pull sequence: HHMMH.
Maddox and Crawford reloaded their muskets, as their servants Maury and Cleeve battled the revenant hound, dishing it 2W. The hound fluffed its own attack, as did Pilate who finally charged into contact with Maddox, who gave the rider another 1W for its trouble. Judas and the other hound kept coming.
Then the Revenants got a renewed burst of energy (2 chits in a row), but both those already in contact failed to wound any hunters, as did Judas and the second hound who charged into contact with Bertram and Brompton respectively. Last of all Bertram activated, drawing his sword.
So close combat is now general, and things are likely to get messy and confused. To help follow the action, here’s a status report at the end of Turn 4, looking L-R.
(a) A revenant hound is battling Brompton, who has dropped his lantern to better wield his spontoon. No W on either side yet.
(b) Crawford is not in combat. He has a musket loaded with silver shot, and sword in scabbard.
(c) Bertram is in close combat with Judas, who has 2W from shooting. Bertram currently has a loaded musket, and sword in hand.
(d) Maddox is in close combat with Pilate, who has 4W from shooting. Maddox has a loaded musket, and sword in scabbard.
(e) Cleeve (polearm) and (f) Maury (club, lantern, 1W), are jointly in close combat with a revenant hound. (2W).
Turn 5. Chit-pull sequence: MMHHH.
The revenants launched another attack, killing Maddox, but losing the hound that had been fighting Cleeve and Maury. Their follow-up attack ended up costing Cleeve 2W, but moved Judas up to 5W as Bertram defended ably with his blade. The next photo was taken after the two M chits had been played.
Although Maddox has been put OOA, his chit remains in play until the end of the turn, and it can be used to activate his man Maury, who then deserts the field when the turn is over.
In the end although Maury moved into contact with Pilate, and Crawford into contact with Judas, the only biffo was the fight between Brompton and the surviving hound, in which the hound took 3W.
The next shot is the end of turn 5, with casualties and Maury removed. Pilate lunged at him, ineffectually, as he turned and ran.
Turn 6. Chit-pull sequence: HHMM
Bertram continued his fight against Judas, and using his trusty sword, and with support from Crawford, they sent the fiend back to hell (with a 6th W). Bertram lingered over the prone Revenant, drooling sadistically. Perhaps seeing his master in “one of his takings” Brompton had an attack of nerves, failing to activate. Crawford moved to join the attack by his man Cleeve, against Pilate. He attacked but failed to wound the revenant. Cleeve failed to activate.
The Monsters fought back, tho now down to only one rider and one hound, both heavily wounded. The hound attacked Brompton, but both attempts to attack missed and, in his opportunity attack following the second miss, Brompton killed the hound. Pilate attacked Cleeve, the first hitting but failing to wound, the second missing and allowing Cleeve to take the Revenant to 5W.
Turn 7. Chit-pull sequence: H***
Crawford activated and attacked Pilate from the rear. The attack succeeded, inflicting a 6th and final wound on the last remaining fiend.
So the hunters have destroyed all the Revenant fiends that attacked them. They lost Maddox, who died of his wounds. Sir Thomas Bertram (coming back to his senses) and Henry Crawford, and their men, returned to the house with the news of the terrible event. And to give orders for the recovery of poor Maddox’s body and the burning of the others in the morning.
I havn’t done character progressions for the surviving hunters as their appearances are only one-offs, except to note that Cleeve made a full recovery.
As news spread that Revenants were still in Rutland, anxious folk began to take precautions. They stayed close to home, avoided unnecessary travel, bolted their doors and stayed inside after dark. All over the county the clergy thundered about wickedness and repentance. In some villages, those of the inhabitants who had good weapons and stout hearts looked to them and began to meet and make plans …
More anon.
It’s two or three weeks after the terrifying news of the ‘orrible murders on the Uppingham road, and things are beginning to calm down. Anyway, this sort of thing was not going to keep the gentry of Rutland from their normal avocations. So we find a party of deer stalkers in the woods on the Cottesmore estate, walking back to the house at dusk after a fine sporting day. It comprised three gentlemen and their men.
Sir Thomas Bertram, Bt. Gentleman, Demonologist. Sadist. Sword, Flintlock.
Brompton. Follower. Drunkard*. Lantern, Spontoon.
Henry Crawford Esq. Gentleman. Secret witch. Sword, Flintlock, Silver shot**
Cleeve. Follower. Secret witch. Pole-arm.
John Maddox Esq. Gentleman. Flagellant***. Sword, Flintlock.
Maury. Follower. Gambler. Lantern, Club.
* affected by drink. -1 on all activation & resolve tests for the game.
** Crawford was a cautious man.
*** unaffected.
In the photo above, we see (L-R) Bertram, Crawford, and Maddox, with their men behind.
The Revenants seem to have attacked the party as they walked through a lightly wooded area about a mile from the house. As far as is known the fiends comprised the horsemen Judas and Pilate, and two revenant hunting hounds.
Turn 1. Chit-pull: MMHHH (Monsters, Hunters).
The Revenants came in but didn’t get close to contacting the hunting party, only managing to move short distances. They also became rather spread out. Bertram and Maddox took concentrated shots at the monsters, inflicting 1W on Pilate. Crawford, and the men, moved forwards, with the servants forming on the flanks of the gents.
The yellow tokens next to Brompton and Maury are lanterns they are holding.
Turn 2. Chit-pull: MHMHH.
Th Monsters continued their slow advance, none getting to move more than 2.5”. The Hunters held position, tho they closed up their intervals a bit. Bertram froze with fear (failed both activation rolls). Maddox reloaded his flintlock. Crawford, whose piece is loaded with silver shot, held his fire.
Turn 3. Chit-pull: HMMHH.
The Revenants are closing in, and one of the hounds attacked Maury, inflicting 1W. But the gentlemen rallied. Bertram recovered his wits and reloaded his piece. Maddox shot at Pilate inflicting 2W, and Crawford shot at Judas, also causing 2W. The servants were less effective, either failing activation, failing to wound the hound in contact, or being ordered to hold position.
Turn 4. Chit-pull sequence: HHMMH.
Maddox and Crawford reloaded their muskets, as their servants Maury and Cleeve battled the revenant hound, dishing it 2W. The hound fluffed its own attack, as did Pilate who finally charged into contact with Maddox, who gave the rider another 1W for its trouble. Judas and the other hound kept coming.
Then the Revenants got a renewed burst of energy (2 chits in a row), but both those already in contact failed to wound any hunters, as did Judas and the second hound who charged into contact with Bertram and Brompton respectively. Last of all Bertram activated, drawing his sword.
So close combat is now general, and things are likely to get messy and confused. To help follow the action, here’s a status report at the end of Turn 4, looking L-R.
(a) A revenant hound is battling Brompton, who has dropped his lantern to better wield his spontoon. No W on either side yet.
(b) Crawford is not in combat. He has a musket loaded with silver shot, and sword in scabbard.
(c) Bertram is in close combat with Judas, who has 2W from shooting. Bertram currently has a loaded musket, and sword in hand.
(d) Maddox is in close combat with Pilate, who has 4W from shooting. Maddox has a loaded musket, and sword in scabbard.
(e) Cleeve (polearm) and (f) Maury (club, lantern, 1W), are jointly in close combat with a revenant hound. (2W).
Turn 5. Chit-pull sequence: MMHHH.
The revenants launched another attack, killing Maddox, but losing the hound that had been fighting Cleeve and Maury. Their follow-up attack ended up costing Cleeve 2W, but moved Judas up to 5W as Bertram defended ably with his blade. The next photo was taken after the two M chits had been played.
Although Maddox has been put OOA, his chit remains in play until the end of the turn, and it can be used to activate his man Maury, who then deserts the field when the turn is over.
In the end although Maury moved into contact with Pilate, and Crawford into contact with Judas, the only biffo was the fight between Brompton and the surviving hound, in which the hound took 3W.
The next shot is the end of turn 5, with casualties and Maury removed. Pilate lunged at him, ineffectually, as he turned and ran.
Turn 6. Chit-pull sequence: HHMM
Bertram continued his fight against Judas, and using his trusty sword, and with support from Crawford, they sent the fiend back to hell (with a 6th W). Bertram lingered over the prone Revenant, drooling sadistically. Perhaps seeing his master in “one of his takings” Brompton had an attack of nerves, failing to activate. Crawford moved to join the attack by his man Cleeve, against Pilate. He attacked but failed to wound the revenant. Cleeve failed to activate.
The Monsters fought back, tho now down to only one rider and one hound, both heavily wounded. The hound attacked Brompton, but both attempts to attack missed and, in his opportunity attack following the second miss, Brompton killed the hound. Pilate attacked Cleeve, the first hitting but failing to wound, the second missing and allowing Cleeve to take the Revenant to 5W.
Turn 7. Chit-pull sequence: H***
Crawford activated and attacked Pilate from the rear. The attack succeeded, inflicting a 6th and final wound on the last remaining fiend.
So the hunters have destroyed all the Revenant fiends that attacked them. They lost Maddox, who died of his wounds. Sir Thomas Bertram (coming back to his senses) and Henry Crawford, and their men, returned to the house with the news of the terrible event. And to give orders for the recovery of poor Maddox’s body and the burning of the others in the morning.
I havn’t done character progressions for the surviving hunters as their appearances are only one-offs, except to note that Cleeve made a full recovery.
*************
As news spread that Revenants were still in Rutland, anxious folk began to take precautions. They stayed close to home, avoided unnecessary travel, bolted their doors and stayed inside after dark. All over the county the clergy thundered about wickedness and repentance. In some villages, those of the inhabitants who had good weapons and stout hearts looked to them and began to meet and make plans …
More anon.
Comments
Post a Comment