Devilry Afoot: Lughnasa (Lammas) 1625 - the Frommage Werewolf (2)
Part 2 - Frommage hopes for the best
Soon the village was buzzing with news about the Monster attack at Everdene Farm. The dead Wolf and Barghest told the story, and Everdene added more information later, as she got better.
It’s a busy time of the year throughout Rutlandshire as the harvest must be gathered-in during the next few weeks. All available hands are put to this work, including village folk who pick up seasonal employment out in the fields. There are even folk come from Leicestershire, leading to suspicious glances and mutterings in some quarters. Bloody immigrants.
So news of the outrage comes at the worst possible time. But the local authorities (Uriah Heep the Reeve & Obadiah Slope the Curate) scrape together whom they can and a scratch Watch is put on night patrol.
Some of these Watch-folk have bought extra equipment with funds, including bounty pay, c/f from earlier games.
And here they are (L to R) (Photo #1) -
Margaret Pole
Goodwife: Doubting, Penitent, Strong. Half-pike, Pistol, Holy water, Dog
Bumpkin
Goodman: Flagellant, Devout, Penitent. Club, Sword, Elf bolt, Lantern
Slide
Goodman: Slovenly, Penitent, Swift. Club, Sword, Holy item, Holy water
Turnip
Goodman: Gambler, Devout, Penitent. Dagger, Blunderbuss
The village of Frommage was attacked that night by a Werewolf, accompanied by two mundane Wolves. Here they are in the gathering dark (Photo #2) -
Here is the ravens-eye view. The Watch is gathered in the centre of the table. The Monsters will come on from any one randomly chosen side, as a group, which turned out to be the N side, near the red tree (Photo #3).
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Note the yellow tokens indicating householders have lighted lanterns at their doorways, in accordance with parish instructions.
All buildings except the church may contain sleeping Innocents.
Dawn follows the end of turn 5, and the Werewolf, if still in play, must flee the field.
Turn 1
The chit pull was HHXHXWXXWHW (Hunters, Wolves, & X = Werewolf).
I’ll add an I (Innocents) chit if and when necessary.
The Hunters tried to form a defensive line against the Monsters, between the church and the largest house. All are sprinkled with holy water. The werewolf attacked first, charging Margaret Pole and inflicting 2W. The mundane wolves were slower to get going, and didn’t achieve anything because of Hide actions. Both ended up in the shadows rather than supporting the Werewolf’s attack. Slide was the only Hunter who was able to activate after the Werewolf attacked Pole, and he charged into contact and hit, but failed to wound the Monster. Its opportunity attack also failed (Photo #4).
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Turn 2
The chit pull was HXHXWXHHWXW.
Slide activated first, but with only 1 success. He continued his attack on the Werewolf using his sword, and scored 3W against it. A timely intervention! The Werewolf activated and tried a bit of Intimidation. All hunters withstood the howling, even Pole with her injuries, and in some cases the holy water made the difference. However Pole then failed her activations. The Werewolf sensing her hesitation seemed about to leap … but instead turned away to Hide in nearby shadows. As it did so it received opportunity attacks from Pole and Slide but both missed (Photo #5).
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Then the Wolves got involved, but lacked enthusiasm. Grey wolf fled, almost off the table. Brown wolf stayed hiding in the shadows of the church, next to the Werewolf, which also stayed in hiding as its next activation chit came up.
Then Bumpkin moved forward so that his lantern illuminated the two monsters hiding in the church shadows. Followed by Turnip, who moved then shot at the brown Wolf, who was closer. The wolf was killed, 2W (Photo #6 not used)
The grey Wolf stalked back and actually contacted Slide, but did not attack. Then the Werewolf summoned its courage and activated again … and stayed in hiding, moving along the church wall to get out of the lantern light. Last of all the surviving Wolf activated again, and attacked Slide, and hit but failed to wound. Slide opportunity attacked in response, and also failed (Photo #7).
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A horrendous run of activation rolls for the Monsters this turn. But I’m sure they will be back in form soon.
Turn 3
The chit pull was HWXHHXWXWXH.
Slide, already in contact with the grey Wolf, continued to fight it (he is using his sword, holding the lantern in his other hand). His attack fails. Then the Wolf bites back, attacking Slide and causing 1W. Now the Werewolf tries again, howling intimidatingly. Turnip and Pole fail their resolve tests, holy water notwithstanding, and fall back (Photo #8).
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Turnip recovers his senses and reloads his blunderbuss. Pole activates (only one success). She uses an interchange action to drop her half-pike (green token) and take up her pistol.
The Werewolf goes again. It attacks Bumpkin who is marginally closer than Slide, and inflicts 1W. The Wolf attacks Slide again, but fails to hit. The Werewolf continues to attack Bumpkin, hitting but failing to wound the Watchman. He opportunity attacks is in response, but fails (Photo #9).
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The Wolf fighting Slide switches to intimidation. He stands firm , as does Bumpkin, but Pole and Turnip again move away. The Werewolf also tries intimidation. Only Slide and Bumpkin are close enough to be affected, and both are saved by their holy water sprinkling at the start of the fight.
Last of all Bumpkin fails both activation rolls (Photo #10).
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Turn 4
The chit pull was HWXHWXXHH
Slide (1 activation) keeps fighting the grey Wolf. This time he hits it and causes 1W. The wolf fights back, but fails to connect. Then the Werewolf continues fighting Bumpkin, and inflicts a 2ndW. Bumpkin fights back, but fails. The Werewolf goes again, and Bumpkin is wounded a 3rd time and is OOA. Then the Wolf activates again, and unaccountably runs to hide. Slide opportunity attacks as it turns away, and brings it down with a 2ndW (Photo #11).
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Now the Werewolf, having disposed of Bumpkin, activates again. It attacks Slide from the rear, but somehow fails to land a blow. Undeterred, it tries again. This time it hits but fails to wound Slide. He cannot opportunity attack as the Monster is behind him.
Turnip (1 activation success) shoots at the Werewolf. He gets a nett +1 for the positional factors (friend in contact with target, shooting at rear of target, target illuminated), hits, and inflicts a 4thW on the Monster. Then Margaret Pole levels her pistol, and also shoots (at extreme range) and hits, but fails to wound. Luckily the bullet misses Slide (Photo 12).
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Turn 5
The chit pull was XH
The Werewolf drew first activation chit and tried intimidation. Slide stood his ground, stout lad, and so did Turnip. But Pole failed and retreated again. Slide activated next (2 successes). He turned around and attacked the Monster, aided by it being illuminated by lantern light, and dished it 2W, taking it to 6/5W and dead (Photo #13).
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The Watch has disposed of all three Monsters, for a bounty of 60s.
Bumpkin will recover from his wounds but not until after his next hunt, during which he will carry 1W. Margaret Pole will also recover, but with an injury that will impede her ability to fully use her arms.
All participants will receive 15s bounty.
All will receive 3 experience points for participating in the hunt, fulfilling the objective, and protecting Innocents. Additionally, Turnip will receive 1 and Slide will receive 2 points for killing monsters.
And that’s all for now from Frommage and Rutlandshire, as attention switches back to the wheat and the hay.
Cheers from Pattaya
Mark
Soon the village was buzzing with news about the Monster attack at Everdene Farm. The dead Wolf and Barghest told the story, and Everdene added more information later, as she got better.
It’s a busy time of the year throughout Rutlandshire as the harvest must be gathered-in during the next few weeks. All available hands are put to this work, including village folk who pick up seasonal employment out in the fields. There are even folk come from Leicestershire, leading to suspicious glances and mutterings in some quarters. Bloody immigrants.
So news of the outrage comes at the worst possible time. But the local authorities (Uriah Heep the Reeve & Obadiah Slope the Curate) scrape together whom they can and a scratch Watch is put on night patrol.
Some of these Watch-folk have bought extra equipment with funds, including bounty pay, c/f from earlier games.
And here they are (L to R) (Photo #1) -
Margaret Pole
Goodwife: Doubting, Penitent, Strong. Half-pike, Pistol, Holy water, Dog
Bumpkin
Goodman: Flagellant, Devout, Penitent. Club, Sword, Elf bolt, Lantern
Slide
Goodman: Slovenly, Penitent, Swift. Club, Sword, Holy item, Holy water
Turnip
Goodman: Gambler, Devout, Penitent. Dagger, Blunderbuss
The village of Frommage was attacked that night by a Werewolf, accompanied by two mundane Wolves. Here they are in the gathering dark (Photo #2) -
Here is the ravens-eye view. The Watch is gathered in the centre of the table. The Monsters will come on from any one randomly chosen side, as a group, which turned out to be the N side, near the red tree (Photo #3).
.jpeg)
Note the yellow tokens indicating householders have lighted lanterns at their doorways, in accordance with parish instructions.
All buildings except the church may contain sleeping Innocents.
Dawn follows the end of turn 5, and the Werewolf, if still in play, must flee the field.
*************
Turn 1
The chit pull was HHXHXWXXWHW (Hunters, Wolves, & X = Werewolf).
I’ll add an I (Innocents) chit if and when necessary.
The Hunters tried to form a defensive line against the Monsters, between the church and the largest house. All are sprinkled with holy water. The werewolf attacked first, charging Margaret Pole and inflicting 2W. The mundane wolves were slower to get going, and didn’t achieve anything because of Hide actions. Both ended up in the shadows rather than supporting the Werewolf’s attack. Slide was the only Hunter who was able to activate after the Werewolf attacked Pole, and he charged into contact and hit, but failed to wound the Monster. Its opportunity attack also failed (Photo #4).
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Turn 2
The chit pull was HXHXWXHHWXW.
Slide activated first, but with only 1 success. He continued his attack on the Werewolf using his sword, and scored 3W against it. A timely intervention! The Werewolf activated and tried a bit of Intimidation. All hunters withstood the howling, even Pole with her injuries, and in some cases the holy water made the difference. However Pole then failed her activations. The Werewolf sensing her hesitation seemed about to leap … but instead turned away to Hide in nearby shadows. As it did so it received opportunity attacks from Pole and Slide but both missed (Photo #5).
.jpeg)
Then the Wolves got involved, but lacked enthusiasm. Grey wolf fled, almost off the table. Brown wolf stayed hiding in the shadows of the church, next to the Werewolf, which also stayed in hiding as its next activation chit came up.
Then Bumpkin moved forward so that his lantern illuminated the two monsters hiding in the church shadows. Followed by Turnip, who moved then shot at the brown Wolf, who was closer. The wolf was killed, 2W (Photo #6 not used)
The grey Wolf stalked back and actually contacted Slide, but did not attack. Then the Werewolf summoned its courage and activated again … and stayed in hiding, moving along the church wall to get out of the lantern light. Last of all the surviving Wolf activated again, and attacked Slide, and hit but failed to wound. Slide opportunity attacked in response, and also failed (Photo #7).
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A horrendous run of activation rolls for the Monsters this turn. But I’m sure they will be back in form soon.
Turn 3
The chit pull was HWXHHXWXWXH.
Slide, already in contact with the grey Wolf, continued to fight it (he is using his sword, holding the lantern in his other hand). His attack fails. Then the Wolf bites back, attacking Slide and causing 1W. Now the Werewolf tries again, howling intimidatingly. Turnip and Pole fail their resolve tests, holy water notwithstanding, and fall back (Photo #8).
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Turnip recovers his senses and reloads his blunderbuss. Pole activates (only one success). She uses an interchange action to drop her half-pike (green token) and take up her pistol.
The Werewolf goes again. It attacks Bumpkin who is marginally closer than Slide, and inflicts 1W. The Wolf attacks Slide again, but fails to hit. The Werewolf continues to attack Bumpkin, hitting but failing to wound the Watchman. He opportunity attacks is in response, but fails (Photo #9).
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The Wolf fighting Slide switches to intimidation. He stands firm , as does Bumpkin, but Pole and Turnip again move away. The Werewolf also tries intimidation. Only Slide and Bumpkin are close enough to be affected, and both are saved by their holy water sprinkling at the start of the fight.
Last of all Bumpkin fails both activation rolls (Photo #10).
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Turn 4
The chit pull was HWXHWXXHH
Slide (1 activation) keeps fighting the grey Wolf. This time he hits it and causes 1W. The wolf fights back, but fails to connect. Then the Werewolf continues fighting Bumpkin, and inflicts a 2ndW. Bumpkin fights back, but fails. The Werewolf goes again, and Bumpkin is wounded a 3rd time and is OOA. Then the Wolf activates again, and unaccountably runs to hide. Slide opportunity attacks as it turns away, and brings it down with a 2ndW (Photo #11).
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Now the Werewolf, having disposed of Bumpkin, activates again. It attacks Slide from the rear, but somehow fails to land a blow. Undeterred, it tries again. This time it hits but fails to wound Slide. He cannot opportunity attack as the Monster is behind him.
Turnip (1 activation success) shoots at the Werewolf. He gets a nett +1 for the positional factors (friend in contact with target, shooting at rear of target, target illuminated), hits, and inflicts a 4thW on the Monster. Then Margaret Pole levels her pistol, and also shoots (at extreme range) and hits, but fails to wound. Luckily the bullet misses Slide (Photo 12).
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Turn 5
The chit pull was XH
The Werewolf drew first activation chit and tried intimidation. Slide stood his ground, stout lad, and so did Turnip. But Pole failed and retreated again. Slide activated next (2 successes). He turned around and attacked the Monster, aided by it being illuminated by lantern light, and dished it 2W, taking it to 6/5W and dead (Photo #13).
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*************
The Watch has disposed of all three Monsters, for a bounty of 60s.
Bumpkin will recover from his wounds but not until after his next hunt, during which he will carry 1W. Margaret Pole will also recover, but with an injury that will impede her ability to fully use her arms.
All participants will receive 15s bounty.
All will receive 3 experience points for participating in the hunt, fulfilling the objective, and protecting Innocents. Additionally, Turnip will receive 1 and Slide will receive 2 points for killing monsters.
And that’s all for now from Frommage and Rutlandshire, as attention switches back to the wheat and the hay.
Cheers from Pattaya
Mark