Saturday, November 10, 2012

RPG: Tales of Blades and Heroes Session

Into the Sea Cave  

An Adventure using Tales of Blades and Heroes

Dramatis Personae
Celesarn Silvertree-  A cynical elf.
Eshelius the Ardent-  A fanatic warrior of Dannos the Seeker.
Falstaff-  A curious ranger.
Ivan Karsokov-  A proud, stubborn mage and his companion badger.
Martin-  Former first mate of the ship Locust.
Owen McDuff-  A professional soldier with a mysterious past.
Yaka Jinzako-  A ninja from the Droplet Isles. 
Zandor, Justice Seeker-  A Cleric of Zelos the Stern.

Session Three-  The Sea Cave.
The Adventurers finish ridding the Manor of ratmen, finding piles of straw and young rat-lings in the kitchen.  Falstaff surmises that the ratmen were attempting to build a warren above ground and right in the midst of the human village.  He notes this to be very strange behavior for ratmen.  As they leave the Manor a representative of Count Granville summons them and offers to hire their services yet again.  The Count has taken in a Cleric of Zelos who claims to have been shipwrecked in a similar manner to the adventurers.  Zandor explains that he was pulled from the water by lizardmen and held captive in a cave near the sea.  He managed to escape with several others, but most were killed in the attempt.  The Count wishes the bold adventurers to venture to the sea cave and investigate.

 The Adventurers fan out as they approach the cave entrance.  Celesarn and Martin cover the flanks wtih bow while Zandor the Cleric leads the way.

 Forewarned by movement on the surface of the water, or the sound of dripping from the rocks Zandor shouts to for all to beware while Falstaff readies his blade.  A creature made from water emerges from the pool, menacing and thrashing about.  Falstaff wades into the water to strike it, and Ivan freezes it solid with a spell so that it can be easily shattered.

 The party is ambushed at the entrance to the cave.  Two Reptilemen await on the inner sides of the doorway to strike the first man through.  Ivan turns Zandor invisible so that the Cleric can slip past the sentries and attack from behind. He drives the beasts into the open so the others can help dispatch them.

Zandor continues to scout while invisible.  Inside the cave are ancient ruins and what appears to be an abandoned ratman warren.  The party would later surmise that the Reptilemen may have forced the Ratment out of their home.  Zandor discovers more Reptilemen and a fight ensues.

 Both Owen and Falstaff slip several times on the slick floor or are knocked over by heavy blows.  Martin finds himself facing three Reptilemen on his own, but Owen, Falstaff and Ivan all come to his aid with a combination of spells and martial prowess that the Lizards can not withstand.  Ivan caves in part of the rock ceiling onto the Reptilemen forcing two to scatter and catching one under the rubble.  Falstaff takes advantage of the distraction and jumps in to lopp of a Reptileman's head.  Zandor, Yaka and Celesarn finish off Reptilemen on the other flank.

 The party emerges from the ruin into a short tunnel heading down into the sea cave.  There they hear the roaring of the sea and smell the salt air.  As their torches illuminate the area they note two huts and a stagnate pool near by with beach and water directly ahead.  They hear human voices echoing across the sea and scurrying on the beach nearby.

 Giant Lizards, the size of a large dog, rush out to attack.  Zandor gets locked into combat with one while Yaka, now invisible toys with another.

 Celesarn puts a Reptileman's eye out with an arrow, but the brute keeps fighting.  It clashes with Falstaff and trades blow for blow.  Martin and Zandor fight off two giant Liarards while Celesarn continues to fire arrows at the remaining one.  An arrow causes it to slip and fall, giving Yaka the opportunity to finish the beast off.

 The lone remaining Reptileman proves hard to kill.  Several times Ivan uses magic to slam the Lizard into the rocks at the edge of the sea.  The Reptileman looses his sword in one such attack, yet he pulls himself out of the water and continues the fight.  Owen, Yaka and Faltaff must work together the bring the brute down.  Meanwhile Falstaff begins to have blurred vision and the shakes.  His temperature burns as he begins to reel on wobbly legs and the venomous bite of the Giant Lizard begins to fester.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Miniatures: World War II Skirmish

Painting and touching up minis for a WWII skirmish game, so I thought I would post some pictures.

 Germans, mainly older Bolt Action Miniatures.

U.S. Airborne mostly Easy Eight, with Black Tree Designs and even a converted Heroclix mini.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

RPG: Tales of Blades and Heroes session.

Trouble in Iona 

An Adventure using Tales of Blades and Heroes.

Dramatis Personae
Celesain Silvertree-  A cynical elf.
Eshelius the Ardent-  A fanatic warrior of Dannos the Seeker.
Falstaff-  A curious ranger.
Ivan Katsokov-  A proud, stubborn mage and his companion badger.
Martin-  Former first mate of the ship Locust.
Owen McDuff-  A professional soldier with a mysterious past.
Yaka Jinzako-  A ninja from the Droplet Isles.

 Session Two-  The Manor
After ridding the Laughing Jester of ratmen, the bold adventurers tend to wounds and equipment while a grateful Marcel lavishes them with food and drink.  Word of their deed has been sent to the Count, who seeks them out and hires the party to further investigate the ratmen menace.  Without haste they venture back to the lost Dwarven halls and to the ladder that leads to the unknown.....

 They emerge in a cellar, not unlike that of the Inn.  Glancing about Falstaff discovers a crate that has been pried open.  Inside looks to be a hollowed out area in the packaging materials large enough for a small man to fit.  A trail of packaging material leads up the stairs to ground level.

 At the top of the stairs the party finds a lavish hall with a central fountain, the room is filled with valuable furnishings, wall tapestry and curios.  Owen spies the body of a man on the floor near the fountain and advances to investigate.  As he and others fan out into the room vicious ratmen leap out of the shadows in ambush.

 Owen reacts by tossing a javelin that skewers the nearest ratman.  At the same time Ivan, the mage, calls forth his power with a few spoken words and sets a distant ratman ablaze.  The combat floods across the hall as the party charges out to meet the ratmen threat.  Ivan is dazed by a sling stone and falls.  Eshelius takes a hard blow from a flail, slips on a pool of blood and falls.  Still, the ratmen are easily dispatched with the heroes none the worse for wear.  Owen, Ivan and Yaka search the hall learning that the manor belongs to Sir Achille, a local Champion.  The crate from the basement supposedly contained spoils taken from bandits that the Knights dispatched.  The dead man on the floor seems to have been a guard or footman.  Meanwhile Falstaff and Eshelius venture up the stairs.

The two peer into a bed chamber at the top of the stairs.  Several ratmen lounge unawares on the furnishings so the two warriors take the initiative to surprise the vermin.  Eshelius rushes the bed, his dual blades flashing as he dispatches two rats before they know he is there.

Falstaff kills one just as readily then pulls out his bow to cover Eshelius' advance.  The Ranger is momentarily befuddled when one ratman slashes about wildly with a dagger, but taking a step back he easily puts an arrow into it's eye.

Eshelius victim forgoes fighting and tries to rush out another door.  When Eshelius advances in a frenzy wishing to spill more blood for his god, the terrified ratman lashes out with it's spear as if it were a broom.

Meanwhile the rest of the party responds to the din of battle and rushes up the stair to help.  Ivan casts a spell to make Yaka invisible, and the nimble ninja rushes across the room to dispatch Eschelius' foe.

The door denied the fleeing ratman reveals yet another bed chamber, filled with more ratmen, this time alerted to the fighting.  The bed in the room is infested with a swarm of rats that ooze over and under the covers as if the bed were made of water.  Falstaff, Yaka and Eschelius rush into the room and commence slaying.

Eschelius leaps upon a table and fights side by side with Yaka.

Owen, Ivan and Martin let loose with missile weapons and spells.  A ratman charges Owen, but he nimbly sidesteps so that he flanks the dim beast.  Ivan sets another ratman ablaze with his magics, and the party's missiles prevent the ratman mage from loosing his spells.  After the battle the party discovers Sir Achille and his squire Sir Christopher hidden in a cabinet.  Sir Achille was gravely wounded and unresponsive.  Eschelius accuses Sir Christopher of cowardice, and the two exchange words before Martin helps the Squire remove his Lord to a healer.

The door from the bed chamber leads the party to a vast storeroom, complete with a home shrine.  Dominating the room is a viscous rat ogre, who roars and snarls as he awaits someone to pass through the door way.  Yaka, invisible again, rushes past the large beast and attacks one of the numerous ratmen in the chamber. 

Falstaff, undaunted by the immense beast, steps into the room and puts an arrow in it's chest.  The beast roars and thrashes as blood oozes from it's wound.  Owen follows in a rush, throwing javelins as he enters.  His first throw takes the rat ogre in the throat and the viscous beast falls twitching to the floor.  But Owen continues moving into the room and dispatches two more ratmen with well aimed throws.

Yaka faces off with the ratman mage and the large orc the beast summoned with it's magics.  When the mage destroys a stone statue, dust covers the invisible ninja allowing the orc to knock him senseless.  Ivan enters the room and begins preparing magics, exchanging spells with the ratman mage.

Eschelius does a diving leap over a ratman's head, wounding the beast, but fails to dispatch it until Falstaff charges and the beast involuntarily backs away right into Eschelius's sword.  The ratman mage casts a spell to control Eschelius and forces the holy warrior to attack Falstaff.  The Ranger bats his friends twin blades away and renders him unconscious with a single blow.  When the ratman mage falls, and others are killed trying to flee, the heroes catch their breath and assess their wounds.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Miniatures: You gotta ask yourself, what would Jack Burton say at a time like this.....

 Jack helping Wang fend off the Lo Pan's men.

Jack still helping.....

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Miniatures: Chronopia Dwarven Dark Tusk Clan

 Dwarven Dark Tusk Clan assembles for war.  The Legion of warriors is supported by their Totem beast, a giant boar creature that is the degenerated incarnation of their ancient gods.  Corrupted by a dark ritual enacted by a fallen clan, the ancient gods roam the lower caverns until tamed by Keepers and lead into battle.  Here the Dark Tusks are also supported by a Flamethrower unit and allied Vulture Clan Crossbowmen.

 Darkstar warriors wield their heavy morningstar while the Legion of Swordsmen and Gauntlet warriors hold the middle ground.

 The Vulture Crossbows, Dark Tusk Raider and Dark Axe warriors preparing for battle.

 The feared Dark Tusk Totem lead by the mighty Keeper.

Miniatures: Chronopia Stygians

 The feared Stygians are a cold reptilian race from deep in the desert regions.  Here a host forms up ready to attack.

 Warrior units made from Sword and Spear drive captured slaves called the Drugged before them in order to shield the unit from enemy missiles and spells.  Behind these warriors is a Great Warrior prepared to leap over his smaller brethren and smash into their foes.

 The Starved are feared for their hunger driven ferocity.  These malnourished warriors fight to the death in order to eat their vanquished foe or die trying.

 The Reapers blend into the surroundings in order to surprise their foe and savagely rend them apart with duel wielded sickles.

The Priestess flanked by two of the Drugged.  She deceives and assails opponents with spells and blood magic.

Miniatures: Chronopia Blackblood Empire

 The Blackblood Empire is an alliance of Trolls, Ogres, Orcs and Goblins.  Here a small force gathers at an oasis in preparation to vanquish all who oppose them.

 A unit of Orc Archers ready to send a hail of arrows into enemy ranks.

 The mystical Alchemist weaves his potions and magical incense.  Here he is flanked by massive Trolls with the elite Orc Assault Warriors on the ridge.

 Ogre Elite Guard, Ogre Heavy Infantry and the fearsome Ogre Deathseeker gather for the assault.

 An Ogre Myrmadon Rider supported by Orc Assault Warriors, a Goblin Ripper Beast Archer and Goblins of the Crimson Blade.

The host up close and personal.

Miniatures: Victorian Bobbies confront Beast like men in London's Sewers.

Sirs, you are under arrest for disturbing the peace and for being a general abomination against nature.  Come along quietly like a good gent or I shall be compelled to apply force. 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Miniatures: Muskets and Tomahawks Canadian Militia

A small unit of Canadian Militia ready to fight the British during the French and Indian War.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Miniatures: Muskets and Tomahawks

British Militia... first unit finished for Muskets and Tomahawks.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Miniatures: Saga


