No Quarter 65

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Capture the Power of a Dragon Bog Trog Mist Speaker When Dragons Battle, Caen Shudders “Battle for the Athanc” Campaign Rules

Model Preview

Wrath of the Dragonfather Excerpt

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Credits President: Sherry Yeary

Chief Creative Officer: Matthew D. Wilson Publications Director: Michael G. Ryan Creative Director: Ed Bourelle

Director of Business Development: Will Shick Director of Operations: Jason Martin

Director of Marketing: Samuel Fletcher Art Director: Mike Vaillancourt Lead Developer: Jason Soles RPG Producer: Matt Goetz

Playtest Coordination: Jack Coleman

Graphic Design Director: Laine Garrett Studio Director: Ron Kruzie

Hobby Manager: Stuart Spengler

Editorial Manager: Darla Kennerud

•••

Editor-in-Chief: Lyle Lowery

Editing: Kelsey Fox, Lyle Lowery, Michael G. Ryan

On the Cover

Wrath of the Dragonfather by Néstor Ossandón

Juggernaut’s Journey

Schwangau, Germany

Proofreading: Charles Agel, Jack Coleman, Matt Goetz, Will Hungerford, Dallas Kemp, Ron Kruzie, Michael Plummer, William “Oz” Schoonover, William Shick

Continuity Editors: Matt Goetz, Douglas Seacat, Jason Soles Graphic Design: Laine Garrett, Jessy Stetson, Ainsley Yeager Photography: Charles Agel, Matt Ferbrache, Geordie Hicks, Dirk Hoppe, Dallas Kemp, Roger Murmann, Jessy Stetson Studio Miniatures Painting: Matt DiPietro, Geordie Hicks, Dallas Kemp, Ron Kruzie

•••

Contributors Josh Colon, Matt Goetz, Orrin Grey, Geordie Hicks, Will Hungerford, Nathan E. Meyer, William Overstreet, Zachary C. Parker, Michael Plummer, Aeryn Rudel, Michael G. Ryan, William Shick, Tim Simpson, Matthew D. Wilson

•••

Illustrations

Carlos Cabrera, Oscar Carfaro, Mike Capprotti, Hardy Fowler, Mariuz Gandzel, Johan Grenier, Imaginary Friends Studios, David Kuo, Susan Luo, Néstor Ossandón, Kiri Østergaard Leonard, Raphael Lübke, Andrea Uderzo, Mike Vaillancourt, Matthew D. Wilson

Racing across the border into Germany, our Juggernaut stops outside Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for the one in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. Our Juggernaut, on the other hand, is inspired to put such a beauty to sleep permanently... —Photo by Dirk Hoppe

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All content copyright 2001–2016 Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privateer Press®, Iron Kingdoms®, The Witchfire Trilogy, Monsternomicon, Five Fingers: Port of Deceit, Full Metal Fantasy, Immoren, Unleashed, WARMACHINE®, Forces of WARMACHINE, WARMACHINE High Command, Steam-Powered Miniatures Combat, WARMACHINE: Tactics, Convergence of Cyriss®, Convergence, Cryx, Cygnar, Khador, Protectorate of Menoth, Protectorate, Retribution of Scyrah, Retribution, warcaster®, warjack®, HORDES®, Forces of HORDES, HORDES High Command, Monstrous Miniatures Combat, Circle Orboros, Circle, Legion of Everblight, Legion, Skorne, Trollbloods, Trollblood, warbeast, Orgoth, cephalyx, War Room, Lock & Load, Steamroller, Hardcore, Iron Gauntlet, No Quarter, Formula P3, Formula P3 Hobby Series, Bodgers, Heap, Infernal Contraption, Infernal Contraption 2: Sabotage!, Scrappers, Zombies Keep Out, Grind, Skull Island eXpeditions, SIX, Dogs of War, Exiles in Arms, Called to Battle, The Warlock Sagas, The Warcaster Chronicles, Privateer Pins, and all associated logos and slogans are trademark property of Privateer Press, Inc. All other trademarks appearing are property of their respective owners. First printing Vol. 10, Issue 65: March 2016. Printed in the USA. This magazine contains works of fiction, any resemblance to actual people, organizations, places, or events in those works of fiction are purely coincidental. Duplicating any portion of the materials herein unless specifically addressed within the work or by written permission from Privateer Press is strictly prohibited. In the event that permissions are granted such duplications shall be intended solely for personal, noncommercial use and must maintain all copyrights, trademarks, or other notices contained therein or preserve all marks associated thereof. LEVEL 7 is a registered trademark of Matthew D. Wilson, Individual. Used with permission.

Table of contents New Releases

4

Editorial

10

News from the Front

11

Model Preview: Bog Trog Mist Speaker

12

Guts & Gears: Blind Walker

14

Skull Island eXpeditions: Deadly Protocols

25

Battle Report: “Battle for the Athanc” Finale

30

“Battle for the Athanc” Campaign

49 61

O-Pin Season

Model Preview Bog Trog Mist Speaker

Battle Report “Battle for the Athanc” Finale

2

Table Of Contents

12

30

14

Guts & Gears Blind Walker

49

“Battle for the Athanc” Campaign

Bounty Hunt

62

Gavyn Kyle Files: Pyrrhus

64

Lock & Load GameFest 2016 Schedule

72

Skull Island eXpeditions: Wrath of the Dragonfather

80

Seeking Immortality

84

Scoundrels & Sell-Swords: Lanel Gozca

87

Vive la Resistance

90

Once Upon a Time in Khadoran-Occupied Llael

98

Player Gallery

110

No Quarter Painting Challenge

112

Bounty Hunt

Skull Island eXpeditions Wrath of the Dragonfather

62

80

Gavyn Kyle Files Pyrrhus

Once Upon A Time in Khadoran-Occupied Llael

64

98

Table Of Contents

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New releases

Grissel Bloodsong, Fell Caller (Metal) game: hordes/trollbloods sculptors: russ charles, brian dugas painter: matt dipietro release: april PIP 71066 • $17.99 Rök (Resin/Metal) game: hordes/trollbloods sculptor: brian dugas painter: dallas kemp release: march PIP 71102 • $54.99

Lynus Wesselbaum & Edrea Lloryrr (Metal) game: hordes/minions sculptor: shawn bruner painter: matt dipietro release: march PIP 75065 • $19.99

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NEW RELEASES

Blackhide Wrastler/Blind Walker (Plastic) game: hordes/minions sculptor: michael jenkins painters: geordie hicks, dallas kemp release: march PIP 75062 • $39.99

Blighted Nyss Grotesque Raiders/Grotesque Banshees (Plastic) game: hordes/legion of everblight sculptor: carlos castaño painters: geordie hicks, matt dipietro release: march PIP 73090 • $59.99

Proteus (Resin/Metal) game: hordes/legion of everblight sculptor: fausto gutierrez lopez painter: dallas kemp release: april PIP 73097 • $64.99

NEW RELEASES

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New releases

Trench Buster (Resin/Metal) game: warmachine/cygnar sculptor: brian dugas painter: matt dipietro release: march PIP 31110 • $21.99

Commander Dalin Sturgis (Metal) game: warmachine/cygnar sculptor: michael jenkins painter: geordie hicks release: april PIP 31113 • $15.99

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NEW RELEASES

Thunderhead (Resin/Metal) game: warmachine/cygnar sculptor: dave kidd painter: matt dipietro release: april PIP 31120 • $59.99

Sturgis The Corrupted (Metal) game: warmachine/cryx sculptor: michael jenkins painter: geordie hicks release: april PIP 34107 • $15.99

Bloat Thrall Overseer Mobius (Resin/Metal) game: warmachine/cryx sculptor: jason hendricks painter: matt dipietro release: march PIP 34131 • $24.99

Soulless Voidtracer (Metal) game: warmachine/retribution of scyrah sculptor: olivier nkweti painter: dallas kemp release: april PIP 35067 • $11.99

Grand Scrutator Severius (Resin/Metal) game: warmachine/protectorate of menoth sculptors: bobby jackson, brian dugas painter: dallas kemp release: april PIP 32114 • $17.99

Pyrrhus, Flameguard Hero (Metal) game: warmachine/protectorate of menoth sculptor: olivier nkweti painter: matt dipietro release: march PIP 32111 • $17.99

NEW RELEASES

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New releases

LEVEL 7 [OMEGA PROTOCOL]: Extreme Prejudice release: march PIP 62008 • $54.99

Immortality: An Iron Kingdoms Adventure release: april PIP 424 • $24.99

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NEW RELEASES

Into the Wild release: april PIP 604 • $14.99

WARMACHINE and HORDES Template Sets Available in April Cygnar Template Set PIP 91130 • $11.99

Mercenaries Template Set PIP 91136 • $11.99

Protectorate Template Set PIP 91131 • $11.99

Trollbloods Template Set PIP 91137 • $11.99

Khador Template Set PIP 91132 • $11.99

Circle Template Set PIP 91138 • $11.99

Cryx Template Set PIP 91133 • $11.99

Legion Template Set PIP 91139 • $11.99

Retribution Template Set PIP 91134 • $11.99

Skorne Template Set PIP 91140 • $11.99

Convergence Template Set PIP 91135 • $11.99

Minions Template Set PIP 91141 • $11.99

NEW RELEASES

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If you frequent the Privateer Press website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter, you’ve no doubt seen the epic “Battle for the Athanc” WARMACHINE & HORDES map campaign that I’ve been embroiled in with several of the crew. If you’ve been following along with anticipation, I’ve got a treat for you! This issue contains the campaign rules we’ve been using to play “Battle for the Athanc” AND a truly epic Battle Report that chronicles the grand conclusion to our own map campaign at Privateer Press headquarters! Yours truly has located the athanc, but will I be able to hold on to it, or will it be snatched from my grasp? Read on to find out. This issue also features a “Model Preview” with the Bog Trog Mist Speaker and a “Guts & Gears” that describes the Blind Walker in greater detail than ever before. (I restrained myself there from saying “gator detail than ever before.” You’re welcome.) The Llaelese Resistance gets the spotlight in this issue’s Full Metal Fantasy content. The “Viva La Resistance” article is a mini-expansion sure to interest anyone who wants to know more about the Resistance, and you can use the content with a new Resistance adventure that lets you engage in one of their daring missions. There’s also an excerpt from the upcoming Skull Island eXpeditions novel, Wrath of the Dragonfather, by Zachary C. Parker. This epic novel directly ties into the storylines of recent WARMACHINE & HORDES expansion books, so you definitely don’t want to miss it. Athanc you,

Lyle Lowery Editor-in-Chief No Quarter

Hello, I noticed that the last issue has a quote attributed to Lich Lord Mortenebra. Did she get a promotion I wasn’t aware of? Is Cryx trying to tell us something? Thank you, Mark Davies Boulder, CO The Fleshless Maiden calls no lich lord master, but she is not yet a lich lord herself. It is true there is still an opening since the destruction of Lich Lord Morbus, and it’s possible Mortenebra has applied for that position. As far as we are aware, however, Lord Toruk has not yet picked a replacement and is still reviewing potential applicants. Do you have a favorite article series you’d like to see in a compilation? Send us a letter with your suggestion or any other questions or comments you have! Email your letters to letters@noquartermagazine. com, tweet @privateerpress using the hashtag #NQLetters, or send us a message on the No Quarter Facebook page.

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EDITORIAL

News from the Front A Mural for the Ages Living up to their name, Nerd Haven Games Inc., has gone the extra mile for the players of Abbotsford and Fraser Valley. Store Manager Jason Anderson explains, “We wanted players to immerse themselves in the game so we went epic-size on the art. Paying equal homage to WARMACHINE and HORDES, the battle scene helps set the tone for the space.” The store even has “dungeon” roleplaying area and fantasy-themed lounge for players looking to dive into the Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game or squeeze in a quick 25-point skirmish.

DreieichCon 2015 For the tenth time, WARMACHINE and HORDES players gathered for the annual DreieichCon near Frankfurt to battle for the title of German Champion. The tournament was played in the Masters format with 64 participants. In the nail-biting finale, Bernhard Fischer clashed with Christian Metz. Bernhard had already won the title in the past, and Christian was the defending champion of 2014. Bernhard had played his first five matches without using his warlock’s feat even once! Christian fielded a Butcher1 list against Bernhard’s Krueger1, and in the end, it was Christian who came out on top to defend his title. Congratulations to Christian for a well-deserved victory!

Conquering Love December marked the wedding of Press Ganger Federico Castelo, whose new bride surprised him with a custom cake that celebrated their union and his love for WARMACHINE. “I believe the first thing I told Sofia after a long, silent pause was, ‘I like to play WARMACHINE.’ Of course that did not get us here, but it did make her surprise perfect. Special things like this are why I love her a little more each day,” Frederico shared.

When Blood Meets Oil Leicester’s Phat Kats Gaming Club ushered in their sixth annual Blood & Oil event, thanks to Press Gangers Ross Knill-MacArthur (Exiled Nephilim) and Stefan Ashwell (Stef686). In total, one hundred players entered the event, which was both a WTC and EU Championship qualifier. For the past two years, the bloodiest generals (most VPs) for HORDES and WARMACHINE have been awarded replica weapons, and this year, Mike Davies took home Rathrok and Jim Gradwell got Daeamortus.

News from the Front brings you recaps and advance information about WARMACHINE and HORDES-related events, as well as updates on products and people in the community. Is there a cool event taking place in your area? Tell us about it at: [email protected]

News from the Front

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®

Model Preview By Will Hungerford Art by Andrea Uderzo

Although the meanest and most intimidating individuals lead most bog trog tribes, the real power behind the marshy throne is often found in the webbed claws of a mist speaker. These cunning viziers act as the spiritual advisors and counselors to the chieftains, performing not just as diviners and shamans but also as sorcerers. Mist speakers purport to communicate with the spirits of the swamp. They tap into this strange pantheon of animistic entities, ancestor spirits, and necromantic beings to gain insight beyond the understanding of their fellow tribesmen. Using their cryptic wisdom, the “big fish” who lead the tribes gain insight into the best course of action—though the outcome almost always favors the mist speaker himself. In battle, mist speakers support the tribe by wielding powerful magic that calls upon the bog trogs’ swampy abodes. Mist speakers speak reverently of the mammoth beast Ashiga, who they believe slumbers beneath Sike Dulra, the great swamp of bog trog legend. Some mist speakers claim that when Ashiga rises from his slumber, he will free all bog trogs from subjugation at the claws of their gatorman oppressors. Some mist speakers believe it is they who will awaken Ashiga with their whispered chants and the blood they spill. It is these mist speakers who most enthusiastically join the forces of the Blindwater Congregation in battle. From the midst of the battle, they call upon fell spirits to harry the enemy so their blows might

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miss, or to possess them, causing them to lay waste to one another. Their incantations bolster their allies, whose blows aim true with unerring precision. With each death, the mist speakers whisper thanks and praise to Ashiga, casting sly glances at the oblivious gatormen who are too self-absorbed to realize that every drop of blood shed under the sinister chants of the mist speakers hastens the day of the gatormen’s destruction.

Bog Trog Mist Speaker Minion Solo Minion – This model will work for Circle, Legion, Skorne, and Trollbloods.

Mist Speaker SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD

5 6 5 3 13 14 8

Mist Speaker Amphibious –

Mist glaive

POW P+S

4 10 This model ignores Damage 5 the effects of deep and Field Allowance 2 shallow water and Point Cost 2 can move through small Base them without penalty. While completely in deep water, it cannot be targeted by ranged or magic attacks and can make attacks only against other models in deep water. While completely in deep water, this model does not block LOS. Magic Ability [6] • Guidance (HAction) – RNG 5. Target friendly Faction model. If the model is in range, it gains Eyeless Sight  and its weapons gain Magical Weapon  for one turn. • Influence (HAttack) – Influence is a RNG 10 magic attack. Take control of target enemy non-warcaster, non-warlock warrior model hit. The model immediately makes one normal melee attack, then Influence expires. • Summon Vortex (HAction) – Center a 3˝ AOE cloud effect on this model. Enemy models suffer –2 to attack rolls while in the AOE. Summon Vortex lasts for one round. Prowl – This model gains Stealth while within terrain that provides concealment, the AOE of a spell that provides concealment, or the AOE of a cloud effect.

Mist glaive

Magical Weapon Reach

The Bog Trog Mist Speaker is an incredibly versatile support solo in any HORDES faction and is especially dangerous in a Minions Blindwater Congregation army.

Using the Bog Trog Mist Speaker

Similar to the service the Mercenary Gorman di Wulfe has provided to WARMACHINE players for years, Mist Speakers bring on-demand cloud effects to the forces of HORDES for a mere 2 army points.

Tactical Tips

Amphibious – This model can attack other models that are in deep water. Magic Ability – Performing a Magic Ability special action or special attack counts as casting a spell.

Unlike Gorman, Mist Speakers are not characters and can therefore be taken in pairs! While a single Mist Speaker can help grant concealment to a friendly warlock each and every turn, a pair working in tandem offers a mobile cloud wall for the aggressive positioning of said warlock. Best of all, the Mist Speakers have Prowl, which provides Stealth while within their own cloud effect, allowing them to operate with relative safety from ranged attacks. The Mist Speakers’ martial prowess isn’t anything to write home about, but that’s okay. They prefer to rely on the martial prowess of enemy models instead, using Influence to force them to attack their own allies! This spell is the Mist Speakers’ only offensive spell, but as any Cephalyx player will tell you, a well-placed Influence can turn the tide of battle. Just the mere threat of this spell will often cause an opponent to spread their forces wide enough to negate the spell’s effect, which can often be more disruptive than the effect of the spell itself. Finally, the Mist Speaker packs one of the most potent ranged support spells in the game, Guidance. While Guidance can be used on other Minion models hired by a Troll, Skorne, Circle, or Legion army, this ability is perhaps most effective in a Blindwater Congregation force. Granting Eyeless Sight to warlocks who have powerful ranged attacks—like Calaban or Rask—makes them even more menacing. This spell is especially dangerous on Rask, who—thanks to his trusty trident cannon—can strip off upkeep spells that might grant Stealth to a model or unit, such as Occultation! The Ironback Spitter is another model that benefits greatly from Eyeless Sight, as well as having its ball of corrosive spit suddenly become magical (imagine what that must look like. . . sparkly mucus). A Spitter benefiting from Guidance can accurately deliver its deadly AOE into troublesome Stealth or Incorporeal infantry, making it a great tool for dealing with these pesky foes.

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GUTS

&

GEARS

By Aeryn Rudel • Art by Carlos Cabrera, Hardy Fowler, and Néstor Ossandón

If you make your living fishing the Cloutsdown, you get used to seeing gatormen. Usually, they’ll leave you alone if you steer clear of their villages, but sometimes they don’t. It’s why I carry my old military rifle in my boat. I’m not afraid of anything made of meat and bone—a bullet in the brain will do for a gator just as it will for a man. What I am afraid of are the gatorman shamans, the bokors. They work a dark magic, and on some nights, you can see the witch lights dancing over the village mounds built up out of the swamp. Sometimes those lights move, crossing the dark marsh in silence, and once I saw how.

hoping whatever it was would pass me by. A gatorman appeared out of the gloom, covered in bone fetishes, its scales painted in swirling designs. It was leading a terrible beast, a great bipedal gator with eyes that glittered in the dark. Its head was adorned with a crown of flickering candles, and the wax had melted into the thing’s scales. There was no reason those candles should have stayed lit, with the wet and the wind, but they did.

They didn’t see me, or else that bokor had more important things to do. I went straight back to the village and I didn’t come out of my hut until the sun shone clear and strong in the sky. I don’t fish at I was doing a little night fishing when I caught sight of a glow on night anymore. the shore. I watched it move closer and hunkered down in my boat, —Killian Dunn, Gnasir fisherman

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Guts & Gears

The gatormen of western Immoren are mighty warriors— strong, tough, and vicious. There are few races on Caen that can match their physical strength or natural fighting prowess, but it is not these traits that make the gatormen so feared by their enemies. It is the dark magic they command, the power they derive from the terrible spirits of the swamp, the greatest among them being Kossk. The gatorman shamans, called bokors, can channel the might of the spirits directly to aid allies or smite enemies. They may also invoke these fell powers to harness the mightiest beasts of the swamp. Sometimes it is enough to simply control these monsters in battle, turning their primal fury into a powerful if unsubtle weapon. Other times, a bokor may call upon Kossk to change the nature of a beast and make it a more appropriate vessel for the bokor’s magic. The blind walker is such a creature, a blackhide whose spirit has been hollowed, whose mind has been all but destroyed, and whose purpose has become much more terrible than brute ferocity.

Blind Walker Creation They put the beast in the ground. I saw this from my cage in the trees. Strange words were said, prayers to the scale-back’s gods, I suppose. I was frightened, for the presence of these gods could be felt in the swamp, dark and suffocating. Two days later, they uncovered the beast. I thought it was dead. What manner of creature could survive such a thing? But it moved at the scale-back shaman’s command. He took the beast’s eyes and ate them, then he placed candles on its head and a metal bowl filled with fire on its back. The candle wax melted, though there was no heat, and it seemed the flickering lights were part of the creature now. Again, I felt the presence of the scale-back gods, and I shut my eyes. Would they put me in the ground? Would they take my eyes? —Far-Springer, escaped croak slave Blind walkers are created from blackhides, the huge bipedal gators that have long been used by gatorman bokors as beasts of war. The blackhide wrastler is the most commonly encountered, and its strength and ferocity are well documented. The blind walker is something altogether different, a subtle and more precise weapon compared to the wrastler’s overt brutality. The primary purpose of the blind walker is to serve as a conduit for a bokor’s magic, usually the one who creates it. Secondarily, the blind walker is imbued with an enhanced ability to protect its master, even if this means its own destruction. The process of creating a blind walker is lengthy and arduous, and only the most skilled bokors, those that truly command the favor of Kossk, would dare attempt it. The first part of the process is choosing an appropriate subject. Some bokors seek a blackhide in its prime, healthy and vigorous, to serve as the vessel. Others, perhaps more pragmatically, may choose an older, more decrepit blackhide, even one that has served the bokor as a wrastler but can no longer due to catastrophic injury or old age. The choice of vessel makes little difference, and the resulting blind walker is arguably the same regardless of its physical condition before its transformation. Once the vessel is chosen, the first step of its transformation into a blind walker is the application of a powerful toxin called the venom of Kossk. This poison, taken from the skin secretions of certain frogs native to the swamps, holds the multiton blackhide in a deathlike sleep for days. The poison’s primary use is to

Guts & Gears

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destroy portions of its brain that control will and cognition, hollowing the beast’s mind to serve as a more receptive vessel for the bokor’s magic. The venom of Kossk has an additional benefit: it holds the blackhide immobile while the rituals are performed. A powerful bokor could simply dominate the blackhide and force it to remain still, but the rituals involved invoke powerful spirits that could seize control of the blackhide to disastrous effect. Once the blackhide is immobile, the bokor petitions Kossk through a complex set of rituals. The purpose of these rituals is to remove a portion of the blackhide’s spiritual essence so that the void may be filled with the bokor’s will. Kossk “devours” this piece of the blackhide, a sacrifice to ensure the mighty spirit is appeased and will facilitate the transformation. When the ritual is complete, bone fetishes are bound to the blackhide’s body, and its muzzle is secured with ropes that have been soaked in the bokor’s blood. The blood is a sacrifice, as the bokor offers his own vital essence to replace the vitality stripped from the blind walker and appease the great spirit Kossk. Then a grave is dug, which can be the most difficult part of the process. Finding an area of firm earth in the swamp large enough to bury a beast the size of a blackhide is not an easy task. In some swamps there are islands dedicated to this purpose, and this valuable resource is often a source of conflict between gatorman tribes. The blackhide is buried for at least two days, sometimes more. How it survives this process is unknown, though some scholars believe the venom of Kossk may slow the beast’s respiration to a point that it requires little oxygen. This alone would cause severe brain damage, but since the venom of Kossk has already stripped away the great majority of the blind walker’s mind, reduced cognition is hardly a concern. The necromantic ritual process employed by the gatormen during the burial manages to mystically preserve the creature’s life, though outsiders know little about the mechanisms of this ritual. When the blackhide is unearthed, there is nothing left of the creature’s mind beyond that which controls gross bodily functions, such as breathing. At this point, the beast’s eyes are removed and replaced with gemstones. The type of gemstones varies, but bloodstones are common, as they are sacred to Kossk. Gemstones are rare in the swamps, and some bokor’s may use large freshwater pearls instead, as they are more readily available. The bokor then devours the blackhide’s eyes in a ritualized ceremony, so that part of its flesh becomes part of the bokor. This ritual binds the blind walker to its master and imbues the beast with a type of limited precognition directly related to threats in its master’s location.

commonly red and white. The tallow of the white candles is combined with dirt from the blind walker’s grave, the site where it was buried and began its transformation, while the red candles incorporate the blood of powerful predators. The brazier is made of copper or bronze and is inscribed with runes of life and death. The candles and brazier amplify necromantic magic, and allow the bokor to use the blind walker as a conduit for the bokor’s magic, extending the shaman’s range and efficacy with his charms and curses. Once the candles and brazier are lit, they melt into the blind walker’s scales, fusing them to its body. The flames are drawn from the creature’s life force, and as such, they cannot be snuffed by water, wind, or any mundane method. Only the death of blind walker can extinguish its flames.

Blind Walker Role We surprised the gators, but we weren’t prepared for them. It was their damned bokor that caused all the trouble, him and his wretched beast. I’ve seen the gator beasts in battle before, and they are terrible, but this monster was a new one on me. It looked like a blackhide or at least it had started life as one. Its head and back were covered in a mess of candles, and its eyes had been replaced with red gems. I’d seen gator magic before, and it’s dark and potent, but I also knew killing the bokor would put an end to it. We had a couple of trolls with us, and I sent two impalers after the shaman. They were close and when they threw their spears, I thought for sure that’d be the end of the bokor, but that weird blackhide appeared out of nowhere, and the spears hit it instead. I didn’t think the lumbering thing could move that fast, but that wasn’t the worst of it. I saw spell runes form around the blackhide, and the spell, a plume of acid mist, melted half my kriel warriors. At that point, we’d had enough, and I ordered a retreat. The gators were banged up too, and they let us go. Thank Dhunia for that. —Champion Durok Hammerfist, Hardstone Kriel The blind walker serves its bokor in combat, primarily acting as a conduit for his magic and as a reliable countermeasure against enemy attacks. The creation and ownership of a blind walker also imparts some measure of prestige, as it demonstrates an advanced ability with the necromantic arts. Other gatormen may tread warily around a bokor with a blind walker at his side. The blind walker serves its master in both offensive and defensive roles in battle, and while it is more specialized than other gatorman warbeasts, it is no less deadly when paired with a powerful bokor.

The final step in the creation of the blind walker is making A blind walker is still a formidable opponent in melee. the crown of candles that adorn its head and back and the Its claws are strong enough to rend steel and tear fleshy rune-inscribed brazier attached to its spine. The candles are

16

Guts & Gears

enemies to pieces. The ropes that bind its muzzle rob it of the blackhide’s powerful bite, but this is a necessity, as the hollowing of the creature’s mind and soul makes it susceptible to inhabitation by powerful spirits of the swamp. The ritual of binding its muzzle prevents this. More important than raw physical power is the blind walker’s function as a conduit for necromantic magic. A bokor can channel spells through the creature’s body, dramatically extending the range at which he can affect his enemies. This is facilitated by the candles and brazier that form a direct link to the blind walker’s life force, some of which must be used to enact the channeling. Using the blind walker as a vessel for magic drains away some of its life force, and the brazier and candles can be seen to gutter slightly when a spell is unleashed from the creature. Careless bokors can even kill their blind walkers if they are too reckless with their channeling ability. Many bokors prefer to use the blind walker’s channeling powers to surprise foes and may submerge the creature in the swamp—its candles cannot be extinguished this way—to launch magical attacks at enemies before they are even aware of the danger. Blind walkers are also imbued with powerful defensive abilities that can be the difference between life and death for their masters. The ritual destruction of a portion of a blind walker’s soul and mind dampens its natural

fury. This allows a bokor to transfer his injuries to a blind walker even if it is fully enraged, an impossible feat for other warbeasts. Finally, the bokor’s ritual devouring of the blind walker’s eyes grants its blind walker an almost precognitive awareness of threats to its master, and it is driven to interpose itself between the bokor and anything that might harm him. Many an enemy has rushed to deliver a killing blow to a gatorman bokor only to have his attack strike a blind walker that suddenly appeared between him and his intended target.

Conclusion We found something mighty strange in the swamp today, so strange I don’t know what to make of it. We came to one of the larger peat islands, where we often stop to stretch our legs a bit. It’s usually empty, but today it held the gigantic corpse of a dracodile surrounded by a dozen dead gatormen. We circled the island to make sure everything on it was truly dead, then went ashore to have a closer look. There were eleven gatorman warriors and one of their shamans or bokors. I recognized the bokor; he’s quite a big thing among the gatormen in the Bloodsmeath, powerful and feared. All the gatormen had been killed by the dracodile, either slashed to pieces or crushed to death. None of them had been eaten because the dracodile’s snout had been sealed shut with strong ropes. Odder still, there was a mass of wax on the dracodile’s head and what looked to be candles. The dracodile itself had died from more wounds than we could easily count: cuts, burns, bites, you name it. Whatever the hell those gatormen were trying to do with that monster, it didn’t work, and it got them all killed. I tell you, though, something about the situation unnerved me, and I have a terrible suspicion that if the gators had succeeded, we’d all be in a lot of trouble. —Captain Fenris Kane, the riverboat Mudraker The blind walker represents an important and disturbing development among gatorman bokors. The augmentation of living creatures to act as vessels for necromantic magic has wide-reaching implications. If it can be done with a blackhide, might it also work on other gatorman warbeasts? Or, worse yet, what if such augmentation could be performed on even more potent creatures? Often, the more civilized races of western Immoren are quick to dismiss gatormen as simple, savage brutes. If the terrible power of the blind walker is any indication, this is a grave mistake.

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blind walker tactics By Will Hungerford Unlike the other heavy warbeasts brought to battle by the Blindwater Congregation, the primary function of the Blind Walker is not killing the enemy by fang, claw, spit, or tentacle. Instead, this tormented creature supports the warlocks of the Blindwater Congregation in a variety of new and exciting ways. No beast released for the Congregation to date has opened up as many new tactics and strategic opportunities as the loathsome Blind Walker.

effectively have a pseudo arc node now—and it’s secured on the hefty frame of a heavy warbeast.

With its large base and open fists, the Blind Walker is an unstoppable force in regards to its channeling capabilities: Should the enemy try to bog down the Blind Walker with small-based infantry models, it can easily trample them and then use its animus. And if the enemy opts instead to try and tie up the Blind Walker with a light or heavy warbeast, the Blind Walker can use a two-handed throw to toss the pesky foe aside and use its animus again. The best part is the Blind Walker can use its animus after determining if its power attack of choice worked as One of the Blind Walker’s most powerful abilities is its intended, so there is no inefficient use of fury points. animus, Rites of Power. This animus allows the Blind The Blindwater Congregation’s newfound access to the Walker’s controller to channel spells through it for the channeling ability really allows some of the more arcanemeager cost of d3 damage points per spell channeled. focused warlocks in the pact to be aggressive with their That’s right, the warlocks of the Blindwater Congregation fury spending without putting themselves in danger. Calaban, the Grave Walker works particularly well with one or even two Blind Walkers in his battlegroup. With a pair of well positioned Blind Walkers and Calaban’s Grave Door ability, the warlock can turn a couple of enemy models into channelers and unleash a torrent of arcane hell on his feat turn, all while remaining safely behind his front lines.

When You’re Rite, You’re Rite

Glutton for Punishment Prematurely rushing the Blind Walker into position to channel spells during battle can often lead to an early and unnecessary demise. Like many channelers and models with the Arc Node advantage, the Blind Walker should not be thrown into the front lines without considering its survivability. In fact, it is best to keep the Blind Walker in close proximity to its controlling warlock or the other important solos in the army to take full advantage of its Shield Guard ability. There are many arcanefocused warlocks in the Congregation that greatly benefit from having a model with Shield Guard nearby, especially those who prefer to lead from the rear of their army. One model in the Congregation’s arsenal that definitely appreciates a bit of ranged defense is the Sacral Vault battle engine. Thanks to its huge base, it is not difficult to keep the Blind Walker in Shield Guard range of the Sacral Vault while also using the Vault’s enormous size to block LOS to the Blind Walker. But

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some models in the Congregation do not necessarily need a Shield Guard to protect them. Bloody Barnabas, for example, can use his own Swamp Pit spell to protect against enemy ranged attacks. In an army led by a warlock who has his own abilities for protection, such as Bloody Barnabas, it would be best to position the Blind Walker near any solos or light warbeasts that need the additional layer of protection.

Big and Beefy

Regardless of where the Blind Walker is positioned within an army, as long as it remains within its controller’s control range, it can provide even more defensive support with its Empathic Transference ability. Given that the Blind Walker’s animus costs 2 fury points to use, and that it will often want to charge or power attack on the turn it becomes a channeler, the ability to transfer damage to the Blind Walker even while it is full on fury is invaluable to any warlock.

To really make sure the Blind Walker sticks around long enough to get the job done, consider using the Bull Snapper’s Spiny Growth animus for +2 ARM—it even increases the efficiency of the Blind Walker’s Shield Guard ability.

Between taking damage each time a spell is channeled through it, using Shield Guard to protect friendly models, and acting as a solid transfer target through Empathic Transference, the Blind Walker can soak up a ton of damage very quickly. Luckily, the Blind Walker weighs in at a hefty ARM 20 with 27 damage boxes.

The last thing to keep in mind is that unlike the Blackhide Wrastler, the Blind Walker does not have Snacking, which means it will need to rely on its controlling warlock to heal any damage dealt to it. This can lead to some unfortunate order-of-operations issues in which the Blind Walker will be unable to use its animus to channel a key spell at a crucial time due to a crippled Spirit. Currently, there are no ways of healing the Blind Walker in a Blindwater army without the warlock doing it. So, be sure to keep a close eye on the warbeast’s Spirit aspect and to proactively heal damage when extra fury is available.

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painting the blind walker By Geordie Hicks For this article, I decided to present an alternative method for painting a Blind Walker. Rather than the usual greens used to paint the studio gatormen, I chose a palette intended to represent a desert-dwelling gator tribe. I tried to stick to browns, oranges, and yellows to communicate this desert theme. The candles were painted blue to make the model more interesting and to complement the reddish-orange color of the scales on the Blind Walker’s back.

COLORS USED Bastion Grey

Cryx Bane Highlight

Morrow White

Battlefield Brown

Exile Blue

Ordic Olive

Beast Hide

Gun Corps Brown

Quick Silver

Bloodstone

Ironhull Grey

Rucksack Tan

Bloodtracker Brown

’Jack Bone

Thamar Black

Brown Ink

Menoth White Base

Traitor Green

Coal Black

Menoth White Highlight

Cold Steel

Meredius Blue

Step 1 – Preparation The first step is to prime the model. Choosing a primer color means thinking about the colors you are going to paint over it. For bright (saturated) or light (value) colors, white primer is usually the better option; however, having black primer in the shadows means if your coverage isn’t perfect, you won’t end up with glaring bits of white showing through your basecoat. So, I chose to first prime black and then apply a lighter coat of white over the top. This technique is known as zenithal priming, and it tends to leave black primer in the recessed areas while keeping the majority of the miniature’s surface primed white.

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1

Step 2 – Scales and Skin

1a

1b

1. Next, lay down the three largest coats of base color. I chose to work with an airbrush for this step. For the underbelly scales, I chose Menoth White Base. The back scales and spiny growths were sprayed with Bloodtracker Brown. And for the regular scales, I wanted a yellowish desert color, but I didn’t want things to be too saturated, so I mixed together Traitor Green, Rucksack Tan, and a little bit of Menoth White Base.

2

2. Touch up the back scales and spines with Bloodtracker Brown using a regular brush. Next, mix together Ordic Olive, Bloodtracker Brown, and Brown Ink to create a dark shade, and use it to glaze over the back scales and spines to create shading. Use the tip of your brush to create speckles of this color over the regular scales as well. This adds some additional texture and interest to the model.

3

4

4. Shade the yellowish scales with a mixture of Battlefield Brown and Beast Hide. Concentrate the shade on the underside of the scaled portions of the model, but make sure the whole surface gets at least a light Apply a final highlight using thin lines of coating to help fill in the cracks. pure Menoth White Base. This highlight may look extreme, but this is the desired effect. When painting using only a few steps, it works best to really push the contrast. 3. Next, highlight the back scales and spines using a mixture of Bloodtracker Brown and Menoth White Base. Make sure to leave some of the base color underneath these highlights.

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Step 3 – Claws, Teeth, and Bones

1

2

1. Next, give each scale a highlight of Menoth White Highlight on its upper edge.Basecoat the claws, teeth, and all the bones on the model with Menoth White Base. Then shade the bones with Cryx Bane Highlight, and shade the claws, teeth and underbelly scales with Traitor Green mixed with a bit of Menoth White Base.

2. Now, add some stark highlights to these areas. Use Morrow White for the bones, and use Menoth White Highlight for the teeth, claws, and underbelly. Using different colored shades and highlights will help distinguish different materials that have the same basecoat color.

Step 4 – Ropes

1

1. Basecoat the ropes with Thamar Black.

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2

2. Add some Coal Black to your Thamar Black, and apply it to each raised bump of the rope, leaving the Thamar Black in the cracks.

3

3. Take a drop of the previous mixture and add some ’Jack Bone to it. Use this color to apply a small dot to highlight each bump on the rope.

Step 5 – Candles, Brazier, and Talismans

1

2

1. Basecoat the candles with Thamar 2. Highlight the candles with a mixture of Black and basecoat the flames with Bastion Grey and Thamar Black, leaving Menoth White Highlight. Use Cold Steel pure Thamar Black in the recessed areas. to basecoat the talismans.

4

5

4. Do a second glaze by adding some 5. Glaze each silver area with Ironhull Exile Blue to your Meredius Blue glaze, Grey. Try to leave the base color showing concentrating on just the tip of each flame. on the raised portions. Use this color to glaze around each flame as if the light from the flame is being cast on the surrounding areas. Then, glaze a bit of Menoth White Highlight back into the lower portions and crevasses of the brazier flames, including inside the eyes and noses of the skulls. Add a dot of Menoth White Highlight to the bottom of each candle flame.

3

3. Begin coloring the flames by glazing them with a thin coat of Meredius Blue. Concentrate the glaze toward the tip of each flame. Paint the skulls in the brazier next with Thamar Black.

6

6. Add a darker shade of Ironhull Grey and Thamar Black. Next, line under the raised edge of each talisman and beneath the raised details on the brazier. Use this same shade color to add thin, dark lines to separate the different materials on the model. Then shade in the eyes and nostrils, and the lines between the teeth to divide each one.

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Step 6 – gemstones

1

1. Basecoat the gemstone eyes with Coal Black.

2

2. When painting gemstones, it is important to remember that the light shines through the stone and collects in the bottom of the gem, opposite the light source. Paint the first highlight of Meredius Blue plus a small amount of Coal Black in the bottom left corner of the flat facet. Use this color to also pick out the raised edges of the stone.

At this point, the model is nearly complete. Make sure you give it a look over to see if you missed anything or if anything could use a small improvement. If the yellow scales look a little too flat, add some more shading. You can increase the definition by first glazing a shade of Battlefield Brown over the scales and then using this color to fill in some of the lines between the scales. I added some glinting highlights on the metal using Quick Silver and used a couple glazes of Beast Hide on the scales in locations that looked too flat. The scales still needed more detail, so I used a dark shade to divide each back scale and applied a thin glaze of pure Bloodtracker Brown to make them look a little redder. Once you are pleased with the details, you just need to base and matte varnish your model to complete it.

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3

3. Apply a second smaller highlight of Meredius Blue with a drop of Menoth White Highlight to the same areas, leaving some of the first highlight showing through.

4

4. Now, paint in reflection dots at the top of the gemstone using a final glinting highlight of pure Menoth White Highlight. Also apply a highlight to the bottom corner, the area where the light would collect.

De a dly

Pro to c ols A No Quarter Exclusive Excerpt from LEVEL 7: The Judas Protocol This April, devotees of the LEVEL 7 board games will learn more about the Ghin, the nefarious Dr. Cronos, and the military forces that stand against these aliens in the new novel LEVEL 7: The Judas Protocol by author Nathan E. Meyer. At long last, the evil experiments the Ghin have conducted on their human victims in the secret laboratory known as Subterra Foxtrot will come to light as the U. S. government initiates the Judas Protocol, intent on wiping out of existence the Ghin “allies.” The Special Ops outfit known as Disco Team is to go in, eliminate the duplicitous Ghin, and erase all evidence of their horrific activities. But the Ghin might not be so cooperative as to just lay down and die… The following excerpt comes from the beginning of LEVEL 7: The Judas Protocol, available as an ebook in e-pub, Mobi, and PDF formats this April from Skull Island eXpeditions. Available at https://skullislandx.com/level-7/the-judas-protocol, drivethrurpg.com April 2016.

Amazon.com,

barnesandnoble.com,

and

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Macau Special Administrative Region

The yacht rested, low and sleek, on the indigo waters of the South China Sea. One hundred eighty-seven-feet long, the fifty-million-dollar craft even had its own helipad. La Femme Mako was inked across its prow, implying French ownership despite flying a Panamanian flag. The luxury watercraft was neither. The Lady Mako was the polished gem of the United States Navy Special Warfare Command’s clandestine fleet. She served as a high-end signal intelligence platform, communications node, and covert operations launch pad. Her fourteen-man crew comprised veterans of both the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen and the Marine Corps FAST platoon security personnel. A member of the CIA’s Special Activities Division Air Branch operated the MH-6 Little Bird helicopter lashed to the helipad. The vessel represented a combined-service Special Access Program, classified to the highest level of operational secrecy. Because of this, the commander was used to dealing with Tier One JSOC operators whose missions he was never allowed to know the details of. It seemed Major Joseph Hernandez existed in a category all his own. He looked the part of a hard-edged skull-stomper, and as a platoon leader in the 75th Ranger Regiment, he’d logged extensive tours in the Middle East and southwest Asia, operating at the tip of the special ops spear. What he did now as an operative of the Scientific Advancement Agency was so secret that it existed outside any known bureaucratic or administrative designations. Hernandez sat alone in the yacht’s stateroom. The large cabin was soundproof and as loaded with electronic and surveillance countermeasures as the White House Ready Room. On a 72-inch HD screen, the face of his Command and Control Deputy Director of Operations, Brigadier General Atticus Fallows, displayed no emotion as he outlined an assignment not only illegal but with the potential to start a war. “Our window is small,” Fallows explained, his voice cold. “We want a clear message sent. Acts of espionage against our agency will be met with extreme and lethal counteractivities. Always, every time, no exceptions.” “If you don’t show me what I’m looking for, how will I recognize it?” Hernandez asked. “We are not sending images of Ghin materials over satellite communications,” Fallows said. “Lieutenant Williams will utilize the Guidance and Accuracy Module in the Psychotronic Amplification Suit. He’ll recognize the uniqueness of the device’s signal frequency. There will be no mistake.”

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Hernandez nodded. “This still doesn’t explain how the Chinese Ministry of State Security obtained Ghin technology in the first place.” It struck the commando as ironic that the Ghin themselves were referred to without code. He suspected the term was so alien that it would be assumed to be a coded term itself, should it ever be intercepted. Fallows stared at him. The deputy director had a hatchetblade face with an aquiline nose and skin pockmarked by acne scars. His eyes were a cobalt shade of blue that burned bright when angered or became inscrutable shields when professional discretion was called for. What those eyes were not, however, were windows to his soul. If Brigadier General Fallows possessed a soul, he kept it as safely concealed as any of the thousand other secrets he guarded, Hernandez imagined. “The original transfer of this item into Chinese hands is information outside the parameters of this operation.” Hernandez allowed his face to congeal into an expressionless mask. He nodded curtly. “Understood.” Fallows leaned toward his camera lens. “The clock is ticking, Major,” he said. “And as always, when dealing with items under the auspices of our SAA activities, the sensitivity of the mission overrides all other concerns.” “Understood,” Hernandez repeated. And he did. He understood perfectly. Under no circumstances were there to be any witnesses. “One last thing,” Fallows said, leaning back. “There has been a recent opening among the GEV personnel. Give me an honest assessment of your pilot after the mission is completed. She’s under consideration.” Fallows cut the connection. An interagency transfer from the SAD to SAA? Lucky her, Hernandez thought. If she proved capable and made the jump, she wouldn’t realize her mistake until she was in too deep to ever get out. It was exactly how Fallows had gotten him. *** Half a world away, Atticus Fallows turned to face the other being in the office with him. The creature stood eight feet tall, with spindly appendages that belied the inhuman strength it possessed. The alien’s head was a taupe-colored gourd, swept back around a sloped skull that protruded grotesquely in the back. Although generally humanoid in shape, the creature’s eye were black pits, its nostrils simple slits, and the epidermis of its face a mask of deep seams and furrowed wrinkles. Fallows hated being this close to the thing. It smelled... other. The scent wasn’t even animal-like but so utterly alien

to human olfactory senses it caused a persistent sense of unease. The stink was so unique it proved impossible to utilize military dogs for security at the facilities where the Ghin were quartered. Both they and their puppets, the things that served the Ghin, drove canines insane with their unhuman stench.

Subterra Bravo, Level 7

In a laboratory deep underground, in Subterra Bravo’s Level 7, Dr. Cronos turned away from the screen before him. This facility was a place the few human beings who knew of its existence dubbed Nightmare Alley. “Major Hernandez is justifiably curious about how a Ghin Dr. Cronos’ dissatisfaction was readily apparent to the artifact ended up in the hands of Chinese intelligence, Dr. scurrying figures around him, his servitors—the creatures urban legend had termed Greys. To a human, his emotions Cronos,” Fallows said. would have been unreadable. “As you indicated to your soldier,” the being replied, “it is an internal matter.” With an efficient motion, Cronos sat The research center held all the trappings of an operating down across from the SAA mission controller. After all the room. Strangely, given the immense financial commitment years since Roswell, Fallows still found it disconcerting to needed to put such a clandestine facility into operation in hear English from the vocal cords of a creature unintended the first place, the chamber seemed neglected. by evolution to utter human speech. The lights were dim, the floors and walls dirty, the

equipment dingy. Experts familiar with the technology would have noticed the models in use were not the latest incarnations or leading-edge applications. Other items and devices were so foreign in design and structure their use or meaning would be indecipherable to any human A long moment of silence followed. observer. Overall, the chamber gave off a sense of decay The creature was unreadable. Fallows had conditioned that belied its level of activity. himself through years of meditative study to betray On the operating table a woman whimpered. Her belly nothing, not only by his expression or his body language was round and swollen in the third trimester of pregnancy. but also by his thoughts. The telepathic capabilities of the Her terror was palpable as she watched the tall alien. aliens were a constant and feared uncertainty. Cronos’ servitors milled around her, excited by her terror “At this time, my attention has shifted to Subterra and pain. Foxtrot,” Cronos said. “There was an experiment Her name was Sandra Banks. She was twenty-two years conducted there deemed necessary to our research. It is old, and this was her first baby. She knew it was going to plausible that during its execution this device could have be a girl, and she was going to name the child Alyssa. The become compromised through a mishap.” pharmacists had warned her the pill wasn’t a guarantee; “Oh, Jesus, tell me it wasn’t the Fear Hunter.” still, she had never thought of Alyssa as an accident. Her little girl was a “surprise” as far as Sandra was concerned. “No. The accident was more mechanically related.” And no matter what that son of a bitch Tristan thought, “Or perhaps Dr. Thoth gave it to the Chinese,” Fallows she was happy when the test came back positive. She even shot back. “Is that also a ‘plausible’ scenario?” saved the stick, though he told her it was gross. Cronos folded long, twig-like fingers together and placed Tears streamed down her face, and occasionally, one of the his hands in a lap covered by a long white lab coat. “I have little alien creatures reached out with a rusty scalpel or a not ruled out that possibility. However, I remain relatively jagged fingernail and casually sliced her skin. The filthy certain this was an unfortunate misadventure.” sheets of the old hospital bed were stained scarlet, crusted The general scowled. “You have a lot of leeway with us,” he said, “but when you start dropping your toys so they end up in the hands of foreign powers then I think the matter has moved a little bit beyond ‘internal.’”

“Relative is not a metric I enjoy,” Fallows said. “Certitude with older blood in stiff patches of crimson and black. is the metric I embrace.” Out of my way, Cronos mentally commanded his underlings. “Then make certain your unit is successful,” Cronos said. They scattered to obey. The Ghin stood over a tray of “Disco Team will recover the item,” Fallows replied, “or instruments. Fingers like spider legs grasped a five-cc they’ll burn the whole damn island of Macau to cinders.” syringe with a long, sharp needle. “Then we have certitude.” “For now, Dr. Cronos. We’ll see how long ‘now’ lasts.”

Sandra sobbed. It was a hoarse, animal sound. What humanity remained in it was shredded to fragments. Since she’d gone from traveling down the highway to inexplicably losing all memory before ending up here— she didn’t know how long ago that had happened now— she had done nothing but scream and plead. She thought

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she was done begging; she understood how useless her pleas for mercy were. The big alien seemed pitiless. Cronos turned around, and Sandra saw the syringe. She had already undergone an amniocentesis at her gynecologist’s; she understood exactly what that long, thin needle was for. She saw the viscous, black fluid inside the syringe barrel and grasped intuitively, immediately, that this alien, this thing, wasn’t going to be taking a bio-sample. This monster was injecting something into her, into her baby. She’d thought she was done begging. She was wrong.

She froze out of fear for her baby in this helpless position, as cold fingers of dread slid into place around her pounding heart and squeezed. After a moment, she slowly turned her head away and squeezed her eyes shut. Tears slid along her lashes, but she didn’t make a sound and did not stir. Cronos returned his mechanical gaze to the image on the screen. He mentally seethed at the state of his laboratory, at the out-of-date equipment he was forced to use. Still, his research had to continue or the repercussions would be severe. He had to find a cure.

On screen the needle slid into the baby, and Cronos pushed Sandra screamed as Cronos drew closer. The monstrosities the syringe plunger down, injecting the baby with its at his command milled around in a sort of inebriated contents in one smooth motion. The baby started kicking. ecstasy, as if her terror were a tangible stimulant for them, Only after the needle slid free did Sandra allow herself to some kind of powerful drug they were addicted to. sob again. Cronos’ movements were as smooth and methodical as an android’s. Her pleas did not move him, and her shrieks Cronos had tired of the human’s bleating. Sedate her, he did not excite him. His focus was intent as he swabbed commanded one of the servants at his feet. The diminutive her swollen abdomen with a cold disinfectant and then a clone immediately jabbed a needle into Sandra’s arm hard conductive gel. The overhead surgical lamp lit her up like enough to make her jump. Then it depressed the plunger, and the human fell silent, her breathing heavy and slow. a performer on a stage. Cold, inhuman fingers steadied the quivering flesh of the struggling woman.

“Dr. Cronos,” a voice said in the alien’s own language. “Don’t do this.”

Cronos turned to the second table in the room. One of his own kind, a Ghin, lay on the table, strapped down like the “Understand this,” he told her. “You are saving an human. His skin was blotchy, his body too thin. Open sores entire species with your sacrifice.” There was something dotted the alien’s limbs, leaking thin rivulets of clear fluid. horribly wrong with the sound of the monster speaking Picking up a second syringe, Cronos approached the alien. a human language. “If they discover what you are doing—” the Ghin began, “Screw your species.” and then it coughed, spraying blood and mucus into the Imaging, he mentally instructed one of the creatures. air. It choked. “If they find out—” “Please,” she sobbed. “Please, not my baby.”

One of the drone-like servants stepped forward and ran the oval head of an imaging wand through the gel smeared across Sandra’s belly. On an old, battered screen a picture of the fetus sprang into view. The baby was curled up, seemingly asleep, appearing to suck her thumb. Cronos eyed the image. Then, he expertly slid the needle through the woman’s taut skin and into the placenta. On the screen the needle appeared, a foreign intruder into what was supposed to be a safe, comforting environment.

A wave of psychic pain slammed into Cronos, staggering him. The dying Ghin’s agony had amplified its mental abilities, but Cronos’ mind was strong, the strongest of his kind, and he pushed the psychic assault aside. “They will not,” Cronos said as he approached the table, the syringe held ready to begin the second stage of his experiment. ***

Sandra’s screams reverberated off the walls as she struggled South China Sea against the leather restraints. Her body lurched under Operational countdown was running fast. Cronos’ grip. The alien turned its dark, cold eyes on her. Two FAST platoon Marines armed with H&K MP-7 PDWs They were the dead, gleaming eyes of a marine predator. stood guard outside the reinforced doors of the stateroom “Move again and the needle could pierce the baby’s heart as Major Hernandez gave his operational briefing. Inside, the remaining four members of his unit, the commander or brain,” he said. of The Lady Mako, and the MH-6 pilot were seated around Sandra froze. the table.

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Hernandez stood beside a massive screen, using it as a display platform for the sensitive information on his NSA-encrypted Combat Personal Data Assistant. Secured inside the electronics lay a miniscule vial of hydrochloric acid designed to release through an electric surge, which activated if the CPDA were accessed improperly. Sometimes he wondered if it might also trigger a Hellfire missile strike from an orbiting drone. He decided that possibility was better left a mystery. “The Lady Mako is to remain in international waters,” he told the naval officer. “Once our team is back aboard, you are to navigate to these coordinates, where we will link up with the nuclear submarine Cheyenne. My team will either transfer to the vessel at that point, or it will perform recovery operations should we be forced to scuttle The Lady Mako.”

Hernandez ignored her sarcasm. “That’s right. We expect to need it, and if we do, we’ll need it danger close. No hesitation.” “No problem, Julio.” “My name’s not Julio.” Dunn offered him a wan smile. “Sure it is. And I have zero problem spraying and praying right over you and your candy-ass boys.” “Good.” He stared at her, and she didn’t shrink from his gaze. “Now, if you and the commander will excuse us, I need to brief my team.”

The two officers stood and left the room. They were so used to compartmentalized information at this stage of their careers that they weren’t even interested in the particulars of the mission they were supporting. Hernandez suspected that if they had understood exactly Commander Julius Hauk was a tall, lean black man and who this unit was and what they were confiscating, they a twenty-two-year veteran of Naval Special Warfare would have been very interested indeed. commands. His voice was wry as he replied. “The Lady Mako operates two gas turbines and two diesel engines, He looked at his team. with a total power output of 94,000 horsepower. But we At four men, it was the smallest group of soldiers he’d couldn’t outrun a Chinese destroyer, let alone a MiG ever commanded in his military career. For his rank of fighter. There’s no way in hell we’re making it to that sub major, it was a ridiculously small combat command, even if your team is compromised.” for a special operations unit. In the regiment, he led a Hernandez shrugged. “Then let’s hope your radar thirty- to forty-man platoon as a butter bar 2nd lieutenant, countermeasures are as state-of-the-art as the Navy claims.” and then, after serving as executive officer, he led a 120man company. Commander Hauk leaned back in his seat, frowning. Finally, he dismissed the comment. If he didn’t like risk, None of that mattered here. This unit, Code Parole: Disco Team, was the most significant command of his life. Disco he would have joined the Merchant Marines. Team consisted of four men with the most elite capabilities Hernandez turned toward the Little Bird pilot, Chief he’d ever seen. Despite the SAA being, overall, a scientific Warrant Officer 5 Celeste Dunn. The woman wore her intelligence and espionage organization, Disco Team auburn hair pulled back in a tight knot, accentuating the was a simple, straightforward Direct Action squad. They austere lines of her face. She met his eye as he spoke. were door kickers from headgear to boot laces. They were “We go in low, below radar—pretty standard for you. But shooters. They were their enemy’s worst nightmare. we’re going to circle north for the final approach to the Yet it was the things they were often called upon to shoot airport, so if we are picked up by Macau security forces, that left him with nightmares. we’ll look like we’re coming in from the Chinese mainland.” She tipped her head, her hazel eyes unreadable. “The approach isn’t the problem,” she said. “If I could land, that would be one thing. A helicopter, even a non-Chinese model, landing at an international airport isn’t a red flag. But me hovering in overwatch during the entire strike is going to be pretty damned suspicious.” Hernandez nodded. “Agreed. But this isn’t designed as a clandestine insertion. We’re going in fast and low, but we may need that mini-gun for backup before we get to the roof.” Dunn was nonplussed. “You might need mini-gun backup at an office building in the Macau International Airport?”

skull island expeditions

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Chronicled by William Shick

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Battle Report

The Story So Far… For the last six months, several members of the Privateer Press staff have been embroiled in a sweeping map-based campaign. The players’ ultimate goal has been to capture an artifact of immeasurable power—the athanc of a longlost dragon. Over the course of 11 rounds, the players fought for control of strategically important sites, brokered deals and alliances against common enemies, and secretly worked to achieve their own objectives, all while keeping their eyes on the ultimate prize. Visit privateerpress.com/NQ65 to find out what happened in those first 11 rounds; then, read on for the thrilling conclusion! This battle report chronicles the grand finale of the “Battle for the Athanc” campaign, the climatic final confrontation for control of the wagon bearing the athanc itself. Befitting such a major event, this battle takes place on not one but two individual battlefields. The first hosts JR Godwin and Will Hungerford, the current fourth- and fifth-place players. Their battle is set to be a truly desperate spectacle, for whoever emerges as the victor earns a place on the final table. There, one of them will join the campaign’s current leaders, Michael Plummer and Ed Bourelle, as they battle against Lyle Lowery to gain the prized wagon and athanc. Previously, the two champions had descended on Lyle, who, with a bit of luck and a lot of cunning, had discovered and seized the wagon in Round 10.

Scenarios Two Battles Simultaneously Round 12 is a special two-table scenario game. The first table uses the “Last Ditch” scenario and pits the current fourthand fifth-place players against one other in a match to see who advances to the final table, which uses the “Dragon War” scenario (download both scenarios at privateerpress. com/NQ65). Of course, because these battles are occurring simultaneously, the winner of “Last Ditch” will arrive on the final table during the round in which he wins and will arrive with whatever forces he has remaining from the previous fight. The second scenario, “Dragon War,” sees the current controller of the athanc wagon pitted against the other top two players from the campaign in a race against the clock to secure the wagon from his ambushing foes. The asymmetrical objectives for each player, however, are only a small piece of the awesomeness that is the grand finale of the campaign. Drawn to the power of the athanc, several dragons have also come to call and engaged in an apocalyptic battle overhead. The fallout of their aerial battle will have a serious impact on the warring armies below. In addition, the athanc in the wagon, while representing the ultimate prize, also presents its own unique challenges to the commanders, who are desperate to wrest control of it for themselves.

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Will Hungerford Model/Unit



Points

Bloody Barnabas - Blackhide Wrastler

+6 WB 9 pts

- Ironback Spitter x2 - Swamp Horror

16 pts 8 pts

Gatorman Witch Doctor Croak Raiders (10) Gatorman Posse (5) x2

3 pts 8 pts 18 pts

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Battle Report

JR Godwin Model/Unit



Points

Madrak Ironhide, World Ender - Rök - Troll Axer - Troll Impaler

+5 WB 11 pts 6 pts 5 pts

Fennblade Kithkar

2 pts

Trollkin Champion Hero

3 pts

Pyg Bushwhackers (6)

5 pts

Trollkin Champions (5) - Skaldi Bonehammer

10 pts 3 pts

Trollkin Fennblades (10) - Fennblade Officer and Drummer

8 pts 2 pts

Trollkin Warders (3)

5 pts

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Lyle Lowery Model/Unit



Points

Baldur the Stonesoul - Megalith - Wold Guardian - Woldwarden

+5 WB 11 pts 9 pts 9 pts

Krueger the Stormlord - Gorax - Ghetorix - Warpwolf Stalker

+5 WB 4 pts 11 pts 10 pts

Gallows Grove

1 pt

Lord of the Feast

4 pts

War Wolf

1 pt

Tharn Bloodtrackers (10) - Nuala the Huntress

8 pts 2 pts

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Battle Report

Michael Plummer Model/Unit



Points

Ravyn, The Eternal Light - Hyperion

+6 WJ 18 pts

Arcanist

1 pt

Houseguard Thane

2 pts

Dawnguard Invictors (10) - Invictor Officer & Standard

10 pts

Houseguard Halberdiers (10) - Halberdier Officer & Standard

2 pts 7 pts 2 pts

Houseguard Riflemen (10) - Rifleman Officer & Standard

8 pts 2 pts

Stormfall Archers x2

10 pts

Reinforcements



Points

Garryth, Blade of Retribution - Aspis - Moros

+5 WJ 4 pts 6 pts

Lord Arcanist Ossyan - Imperatus

+6 WJ 12 pts

Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios

3 pts

Dawnguard Sentinels (10) - Sentinel Officer & Standard

9 pts

Mage Hunter Infiltrators (10) - Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander

2 pts 8 pts 3 pts

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Ed Bourelle Model/Unit



Lich Lord Terminus - Deathripper - Defiler - Kraken - Ripjaw

Points +4 4 5 19 5

WJ pts pts pts pts

Captain Rengrave

2 pts

Necrotech & Scrap Thrall

1 pt

Bloat Thrall

2 pts

Pistol Wraith

3 pts

Bane Thralls (10) - Bane Thrall Officer & Standard

8 pts

Revenant Crew of the Atramentous (6)

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Battle Report

3 pts 6 pts

Reinforcements



Points

Deneghra, the Soul Weaver - Deathripper - Harrower - Nightmare - Reaper

+4 4 10 10 7

Lich Lord Venethrax - Ripjaw - Seether

+6 WJ 5 pts 9 pts

WJ pts pts pts pts

Last Ditch Deployment JR: Knowing our GM, this scenario will be brutal and fun—caverns birthing dragonspawn, rocky terrain making maneuvering a challenge, and a Blindwater Congregation force led by Will Hungerford. This battle will be a tough one. Swamp water runs in Hungerford’s veins. The dragonspawn are going to be my main focus as I try to keep my path to rush the zone clear until late in the game. My Warders and Fennblades are going to try to hold the line, and my pygs will try to keep the gators from flanking me while my Champions and Madrak’s battlegroup carve my path to the main table.  Hungerford: This is it. It’s now or never. If I can’t win this battle, then I’m done for in this campaign. I know I should hang back and kill off as many dragonspawn as possible and then rush the zone toward the end of the third round to secure a scenario victory…but nah. I’m going to kill Madrak, even though it doesn’t cause me to automatically win the game. I’ll see what I can do to position myself to score as many scenario points as possible, but my moral victory will occur when Madrak’s

corpse is shoved screaming into the maw of any of my many Blindwater Congregation faithful.

Dragon War Deployment Lyle: Okay, so all I need to do is control the Athanc Wagon for four turns while an army with a colossal closes down on me from each side. No big deal, right? My only chance of success is to hold the Athanc Wagon for the FIRST four turns. I can’t afford to lose a turn of control because the attrition losses will start to add up fast. I’ll need to do whatever I can to preserve my army while holding off Plummer’s and Ed’s. There’s a forest to the left of the road, but the right side is dangerously open. So, I’ll take my chances against Plummer’s Retribution army, using Krueger to escort the wagon. His group will use the concealment of the forest for some degree of protection from open assault while using the wagon itself to screen the force from Ed’s Cryx army. Baldur’s slower-moving force will wait on the other end of the table, ready to take control of the Athanc Wagon as it progresses across the field later in the game.

for this whole game, so I want to put my hardest hitting units over there. My Halberdiers and Riflemen should be

Plummer: I’m relieved to see that Lyle hasn’t taken a ton of AOE attacks. I have a lot of troops and not a whole lot of space to deploy them in. Baldur’s battlegroup on my left flank will be the hardest target that I have to contend with

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Dragon War Deployment (Continued) able to deal with most of what Krueger is bringing to the table and will leave me with plenty of points to contest the wagon if I can chip away Lyle’s army. I need to try and strike fast and hard so that I still have enough troops left to fend off Ed’s army while I get the Athanc Wagon off the table. This is going to be an uphill fight, but Will has given me a few tricks up my sleeve, and I’m feeling pretty confident.

Ed: What madness has Will Shick created here? I deploy where? Ha! Time to make a Circle sandwich. No, wait. I can do better... Hmm... Maybe not. Time to make a Circle sandwich.

Round 1: Last Ditch Minions Barnabas and his Blindwater Congregation rushed forward with reptilian hisses. The prospect of capturing the athanc and using it to further his rise to godhood had the ancient bokor nearly frothing at the mouth. But before he could ascend with the power of the athanc, he would have to reach it first, and two things currently stood in his way: a trollblood army and the dark caverns ahead, ominous sounds echoing from their depths. The bulk of the gatorman forces moved brashly toward the caverns, which hid the underground tunnels that led to their true goal—the athanc. Despite the rising bloodlust in their cold reptilian hearts, the gatormen’s keen hunter instincts compelled them to exercise some degree of caution. Something was stirring within those caverns. Each posse sent forth a single member to scout for any danger ahead. Behind them, the gatorman witch doctors called forth potent enchantments to lend the powers of death to the gatorman vanguard. Using the greater gatorman force as a distraction, a unit of croak raiders moved stealthily around the flank of the battlefield. They had claimed to their gatorman overseers that such a maneuver was meant to put them within better striking distance of the encroaching trollkin, but it was clear they also sought to keep as much distance as possible between themselves and whatever unseen horrors waited to burst forth from beneath the earth.

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No sooner had the croaks completed their flanking maneuver than several twisted dragonspawn burst forth from the caverns like ants whose hill had been disturbed by a passing traveler. Slick serpentine bodies covered in black chitin rushed forward on clawed limbs. From the cavern entrance closest to the gatormen, two lesser dragonspawn charged out to snap and bite at the forward-most posse members. And from the entrance closest to the trollkin, a lesser and a heavy dragonspawn lunged, their fanged maws glistening with thick, ropey saliva.

Round 1: Last Ditch (Continued) Trollbloods Pointing Rathrok at the dragonspawn, Madrak let loose a powerful cry, calling his warriors to battle. The unit of champions, led by none other than Skaldi Bonehammer, charged into the heavy dragonspawn and cut it to pieces while the pyg bushwhackers made short work of the other lesser dragonspawn with the combined fire from their rifles. Ready and willing to be the bulwark against the many foes confronting their comrades, the warders ran forward, chanting a challenge to the monsters both deep within and on the surface of the earth. The Fennblades also rushed

forward, eager to come to grips with their foes. At that moment, however, two new lesser spawns emerged and quickly ripped two trollkin to shreds. Bits of thick skin and quill hung from the spawns’ fanged maws, but their ravenous hunger did not end there. The gatormen on the opposite side suffered a similar fate—the caverns’ blightbirthed defenders pulled down two of their number. Each dragonspawn was a grisly reminder to all that the ultimate prize was near but claiming it would exact a heavy toll.

Dragon War Circle Orboros From the skies above came a great roar that shook the earth and the heavens, filling the souls of the living with a dread unlike any they had ever felt before. Soaring on black wings, Toruk cut through the sky: the Dragonfather and master of Cryx itself had come to claim what was rightfully his. As his blight fell upon the battlefield below, the bodies of the living became feeble and weak, their strength drained from their limbs. With enemies on both sides seeking to wrest control of the athanc wagon from him, Krueger knew the fight ahead would not be easy. The Iosans advanced from one flank, the shape of a Hyperion appearing in the distance. At their command was Ravyn, Eternal Light. From the opposite flank, a Cryx army made its way forward, a mighty Kraken towering over the rest of the army and Terminus looming behind. Thankfully, Baldur the Stonesoul had received Krueger’s urgent message for assistance and had come to aid the Stormlord and safely deliver the wagon from the hands of

both the Iosans and Cryx. Baldur and his wolds emerged across the battlefield from Krueger, ready to relieve Krueger’s forces as they escorted the athanc wagon. While the sight of Baldur was a relief, Krueger knew it would be some time before Morvahna the Dawnshadow would be able to make her presence known, as she was currently maintaining the rearguard of the wagon’s escort. Baldur and his wolds advanced toward the center of the battlefield, utilizing their connection with the Stonesoul to armor themselves in mystic wards. Meanwhile, Krueger ordered his forces to take stands to confront the Iosans, who seemed to present the greater threat. The Stormlord advanced forward and summoned a great storm to hinder the ranged weapons of his many foes. Using the concealment of the forests, the Circle forces took their positions, and the towering form of the athanc wagon made its way onto the battlefield. For many combatants on all sides, this was the first time they had laid eyes upon the treasure they had fought and bled so much for over the past months.

Retribution of Scyrah Once again, the skies above commanded their attention. A piercing crack that sounded like the earth had split rolled across the land as Toruk clashed with his rebellious progeny, the mighty Blighterghast and the nefarious Charsaug. Toruk’s claws raked great and terrible wounds upon their scaled flesh as they locked in battle overhead. Great waterfalls of dragon blood cascaded down upon the fields below, and the corrosive rain melted armor and flesh with equal ease. Gouts of blood splashed onto the Kraken as well, but its thick armor was able to withstand much of the damage. Baldur’s gallows grove did not fare as well, however, and was quickly destroyed, while Baldur himself

was forced to transfer the wounds he sustained from the searing rain to one of his wolds. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ravyn ordered her Retribution soldiers to attack the Circle’s relief forces, hoping to destroy them before they could combine their might with that of the Stormlord. Under her direction, the Hyperion unleashed its arcane starburst cannon at the woldwarden, the power of the weapon disintegrating huge chunks of stone from the wold’s body. The thresher cannons in its torso fired next, seeking to cut down Baldur—but failing. The shots were wildly off target, buffeted by Krueger’s arcane mastery of wind and storm.

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Dragon War (Continued) Believing her Invictors were more than up to the task of taking on the rather ponderous Baldur, Ravyn chose to save her feat for later. It was a choice that would prove costly as, despite the odds, fate cruelly turned against the Retribution forces. Every shot from the Invictors missed the dangerously exposed Circle warlock. As Ravyn’s army lost their chance for a quick and decisive victory on the left flank, the houseguard on the right moved forward. The halberdiers locked shields and moved quickly to engage the lurking bloodtrackers within the forest, trusting their heavy shields would protect them from the Tharn females’ wicked fighting claws. Meanwhile, the houseguard thane ordered the houseguard riflemen to take aim at the unengaged bloodtrackers. Despite coordinating their fire, however, every single shot missed its target, continuing the Retribution’s streak of poor shooting.

Cryx Following their initial clash, the dragons overhead wheeled about, their massive serpentine bodies blacking out the sky. Though no significant effects were to befall the battlefield this time, the simple presence of the dragons caused plenty of distractions among the troops, all of whom quaked in silent fear as they watched the god-like beings wage war in the clouds. Eager to reclaim Toruk’s prize, Terminus drove the Kraken forward and had it fire its main cannon at Baldur. The powerful shot missed, however, falling short of its target due to Krueger’s Storm Wall spell.

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Terminus compelled his Deathripper forward, positioning its arc node so he could send an Annihilation blast through it onto the hulking Ghetorix. Yet despite boosting the attack, Terminus failed his shot, and the blast fell at a harmless distance from the nearby Circle troops. With few targets available, the rest of the Cryxian army ran forward to position themselves to strike at the blackclads and reclaim the Dragonfather’s athanc shard from any who would dare contest the dragon’s claim.

Round 2: Last Ditch Minions With a never-ending tide of dragonspawn furiously rushing from the caverns and the rapid approach of trollkin, Barnabas hissed for his warriors to push on. While the gatorman posses set upon the dragonspawn that had attacked them earlier—the powerful blows from gatorman blades and teeth more than a match for even the largest blighted cavern guardian—the croak raiders sprang their trap upon the trollkin. Having avoided the attention of the dragonspawn, the croaks moved into a promising position to threaten the otherwise preoccupied champions. Without hesitation, the lead croaks rushed forward with surprising alacrity, hurling oil gourds that smashed open to cover the heavily armored champions in viscous, reeking fluids. Before the trollkin could respond, the second line of frogmen hurled flaming darts at the unfortunate champions, combining fire with oil to turn minor wounds into lethal infernos. In mere seconds, the trollkin were consumed by the flames. Witnessing his proud warriors succumb to such treacherous tactics, Skaldi

screeched a string of vile curses in Molgur-Trul upon the croaks, vowing vengeance for his warriors. The great champion’s attention was soon diverted from the flaming arrows of the croaks as more dragonspawn scuttled on clawed limbs from deep within the earth. Another warder was dragged down, though the blood of Dhunia within his veins—along with his heavy plate armor—was just enough to save him from complete destruction. Barnabas had had enough of the dragonspawn annoyances and rushed forward to cleave a lesser spawn in twain before its jaws could snap shut upon its prey. The ancient bokor took only momentary pleasure in the spray of blood across his hooded face; he knew such trivial slaughter was meaningless. As his milky white eyes scanned the developing battles, he paused. He saw one warrior whose death might truly bear significance, a warrior whose blood, if spilled, could move the bokor forward in his ultimate quest for godhood.

Trollbloods Madrak Ironhide bellowed for his warriors to push forward, the will of the ancient axe Rathrok pressing upon his mind. Its edge thirsted for battle, for slaughter undreamed. With great force of will, Madrak pushed the apocalyptic thoughts aside and asserted his dominion over the cursed weapon. Soon he would have to unleash the axe, but that time had not yet arrived. With a war cry of their own, the Fennblades crashed into the heavy dragonspawn that had emerged from the underground caverns, the Fennblades’ powerful weapons making short work of the great monster. The kithkar rushed forward to cut down the lesser spawn chomping furiously at the fallen warder. In one swift blow, his hammer smashed the voracious critter to paste. Hauling the bleeding warder to his feet, the two shared a short nod. Interrupting the warders’ brief pause, a feline-like light dragonspawn darted from the cavern entrance, only

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Round 2: Last Ditch (Continued) Trollbloods to feel the harsh bite of their blades. Skaldi, still filled with rage at the croaks on his flanks, ordered his champions to hack down another light dragonspawn. Even through his alcohol-fueled battle lust, the veteran warrior understood the importance of clearing the caverns for Madrak and the hopefully fast-approaching trollkin reinforcements. Fate, it seemed, was not with the trollbloods— with a mighty roar, another two heavy dragonspawn emerged from the caverns. The pair charged forward and tore apart a warder and a nearby Fennblade, while another dragonspawn ripped a gatorman to shreds on the other side of the field.

Dragon War Circle Orboros Once more, the battlefield was awash in sizzling dragon blood as the great wurms battled fiercely overhead. Though Krueger’s forces were spared from its touch, his enemies were not. The insidious powers of the bane thralls, however, saved the majority of their number from the blood’s deadly touch. Engaged by the houseguard halberdiers, the bloodtrackers attacked with their full primal ferocity and used their agility to strike from unexpected angles, throwing the Iosan warriors off-balance and exposing vital weak points behind their heavy shields. While the bloodtrackers distracted and harried the halberdiers, Krueger tapped into the warpwolf stalker’s innate bloodthirst and willed it to charge into their ranks. Through the eyes of his stalker, Krueger savored the spectacle of tightly packed elves being scythed like grain at harvest, their pathetic shields worthless against the stalker’s massive blade.

Too close to the athanc wagon, Krueger was unable to tap into his arcane link with Orboros, and so he took flight away from the shard’s blight field to once again summon powerful winds and hinder the many ranged weapons of his enemies. Realizing his departure had left the wagon unescorted, with a shrill whistle he sent a war wolf bounding back to the wagon. Meanwhile, Baldur the Stonesoul drove his wolds forward, tapping into their shared mystical connection to unleash several earth-rending spells. These were directed at the two foes bearing down from the flanks. Surveying the field, he called upon his most potent magic, the resilience of the bones of Orboros itself, and wrapped it around all the Circle forces within reach. Rooted now to the earth by his powerful enchantment, he let out a small prayer as he watched the unstoppable wagon smash aside a bonejack that had wandered into its path. He prayed his efforts would be enough to see the beleaguered blackclads through the storm that was about to come.

Retribution of Scyrah Ravyn was surveying the unfolding chaos of battle through the towering vantage point of her Hyperion when, suddenly, her stomach lurched and her vision spun—her mental connection with the machine had been broken by a wave of intense blight energy. All across the battlefield, Blighterghast’s blight corroded and ate away at metal, stone, and necrotic flesh. Even the reinforced steel of her Hyperion bubbled and corroded. Re-establishing her link with the Hyperion, Ravyn prayed to Scyrah that the Cryxian forces would suffer greatly beneath the blight of their master’s fiercest rival.

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Amidst the bloody and broken bodies of the halberdiers, the warpwolf stalker howled with red-eyed rage as the Retribution troops opened fire on it. In an unfortunate turn of events, the unnatural winds summoned by Krueger caused a stray Stormfall arrow to crash into a houseguard rifleman, ending his life in a wash of friendly fire. Despite the less-than-stellar performance of the Stormfall, the riflemen quickly brought down the marauding warpwolf with the weight and accuracy of their combined fire. Free from the threat of the warpwolf, the houseguard thane ordered the halberdiers to disengage from the bloodtrackers

and to tie up the fearsome Lord of the Feast. But even as they turned, two halberdiers were cut down. The wicked Tharn huntresses were quick to pounce on their foes’ exposed backs. The halberdiers’ sacrifice had been worth it, though—the bloodtrackers were left dangerously exposed. Ravyn watched through the eyes of the Hyperion as she directed it to march right into the midst of the lithe Tharn. She reveled in the feeling of power as the colossal’s Starburst cannon charged. With a shrieking, high-pitched whine, it shot forth into the bloodtrackers below. A flash of blinding white came before the sucking rush of wind that seemed to tug at reality itself, trying to swallow it into the pitch-black void that followed. And as quickly as it had disrupted the world, it ceased. The world returned to its normal state— but with one slight change. Where an entire unit of bloodtrackers had once stood was now nothing but a blackened crater.

Plummer: The Hyperion’s Starburst Cannon is always a satisfying weapon to fire, but this shot really takes the cake. It felt really good to finally have those Bloodtrackers out of my hair.

On the left flank, the remaining Retribution troops did their best to whittle down the magically protected wolds, but the Stonesoul’s potent magic protected them from the brunt of the Retribution’s firepower.

Cryx Sensing an opportunity as Blighterghast and Toruk became locked in a deadly aerial clash, Charsaug swooped down in an attempt to snatch the athanc shard from below. The swipe from his massive claw rent apart the earth and the Circle forces surrounding the wagon. Krueger was only saved from the powerful and unexpected blow by transferring his wound to Ghetorix, who had also suffered from Charsaug’s sudden strike. In the wake of devastation, the untouched Cryxians had to deal with the lingering effects of Blighterghast’s corrosive blight. Critical to the Nightmare Empire’s forces, the bane thrall standard and the revenant crew leader both succumbed, leaving their units severely weakened. As he empowered all his ’jacks, Terminus ordered the pistol wraith to target Megalith. The ghostly gunslinger easily hexed the towering wold, locking it in place with bonds of necromantic energy. Terminus then had the Defiler advance and spray a stream of highly corrosive acid across

the line of Baldur, Megalith, and the wold guardian, but the blackclad’s feat saved the trio from the worst of the damage. Seeking to end the threat of the Circle warlock, Terminus sent the remaining revenant crew to attack him, though they too were unable to do any significant damage, thanks to the wards surrounding him. Determined to sap whatever strength he could from the Circle relief force, Terminus sent his Ripjaw to gouge a great chunk from Megalith’s frame, severely weakening the already damaged wold. The Lich Lord followed the bonejack’s assault with a charge from the Kraken, but even the might of the colossal was not enough to completely finish Megalith. In spite of the wold’s dogged resilience, Terminus had successfully positioned his forces to cut off the Circle from the wagon, wresting control of it away from the druids for the first time. The Cryxians struck a significant blow by capturing the wagon. Now the only question was: how much would the druids have to sacrifice to regain control?

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Round 3: Last Ditch Minions Barnabas could feel the tide of battle slowly turning toward the trollkin’s favor. Despite the heavy losses they had suffered at the hands of the dragonspawn, the warriors of the pathetic Dhunia had made significant progress toward claiming the caverns as their own and, with it, the only route to the athanc wagon. Summoning his wrastler, Barnabas commanded the great reptile to hurl him toward the trollkin warlock. Ignoring the pain of the hard impact upon the ground, Barnabas called upon the wrastler to use its animus to lift him from his downed position. Once more on his feet, Barnabas reached out to the tentacled swamp horror, commanding it forward. Sickly green runes surrounded Barnabas’ arms as he drew on the power of its animus. Bones snapped and popped as the warlock’s limbs elongated and stretched beyond any normal limits. His new distorted form gave the ancient bokor a comical yet undeniably horrifying appearance. With a hiss, Barnabas charged the unsuspecting Madrak, unleashing his most potent magic and summoning a brackish tide to sweep all the trollkin around him off their feet. Barnabas’ elongated arms bent and writhed like snakes as he brought his powerful axe Bone Cleaver down in a

Trollbloods A subtle but palpable silence fell over the battlefield as all eyes fixed on Madrak; the acid that bathed him continued to eat away at his flesh. But assured destruction was narrowly avoided, thanks to his innate hardiness, as he toughed out the searing agony and heroically rose to his feet. Madrak called for his warbeasts to rise and sent his axer crashing into the heavy dragonspawn that was currently attacking the warders. With three great sweeps of his axe, the troll laid the creature low, freeing up the warders to press forward. Madrak ordered Rök to enter the caverns, hoping the mighty warbeast would be enough to reclaim control of the vital passage. Through gritted teeth, Madrak called for the Fennblades to engage the heavy dragonspawn near them.

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series of brutal strikes upon his prone foe. Madrak was only saved by the sacrifice of his impaler, as he transferred as much damage as possible to it, and the death of the nearby kithkar—the trollkin warrior’s life had been claimed in place of Madrak’s own by Rathrok’s curse. Hissing in rage at the tenacity of his foe, Barnabas commanded his ironback spitters to fire upon the severely wounded trollkin. The shots were slightly out of range, and although one still managed to hit, the splatter of acid was unable to finish off the downed trollkin warlock, though it did leave Madrak covered in corrosive acid. Severely wounded and exhausted of his arcane energy, Madrak knew his future, as well as his hopes of reaching the athanc, looked bleak indeed. The gatorman posses charged into the caverns and hacked apart a guarding dragonspawn while the croaks continued to harry Skaldi and his champions, attacking with fire that managed to kill all but the trollkin hero. Making matters worse, an ensuing rush of dragonspawn beleaguered the trollkin. In a true test of the trollkin’s legendary toughness, the trollkin managed to keep the two new heavy dragonspawn at bay.

Round 3: Last Ditch (Continued) Sensing his moment was now or never, Madrak drew upon all his remaining reserves of energy and unleashed the true power of Rathrok, imbuing all his forces with a portion of the axe’s savagery and bloodlust. Limbs infused with power, the trollkin tore into their nearby foes. Most critically, the Fennblades managed to destroy the dragonspawn they engaged with a flurry of attacks granted by Madrak’s feat. Following the sudden storm of trollblood fury brought on by Madrak and his connection with Rathrok, there was a sudden and unnatural silence. As Madrak surveyed the field, he saw the Blindwater Congregation had been pushed back. Though his skin was still burning from the acid and his body was plagued by exhaustion, he felt a great relief. Despite all odds, they had won the field. Looking to his left, he saw Skaldi standing alone and raised his axe in salute. As he caught the champion’s eye, he saw, far too late, the sudden terror fill his gaze. Skaldi shouted a warning and moved to reach him. Turning, Madrak

watched in sudden, slow-motion horror as the glistening fang-filled maw of a huge dragonspawn fell upon him, engulfing him in darkness. JR: Four dragonspawn, an Ironback Spitter, and Bloody Barnabas did their best to take Madrak down, but he stood up, ready for the next table. Until our GM reminded us that dragonspawn still needed to spawn before the round could end...The gators are heading back to their swamp, and I’m headed to the main table hoping there is still time to claim the athanc for myself. Victory was mine but at a hefty price. Hungerford: Well, Madrak didn’t die screaming exactly as I had intended, but he did die screaming. I’m sure Barnabas left the battlefield grumbling about how his meal was stolen by a mindless dragonspawn after he had done ALL THE WORK. Whatever—enjoy your handful of bloody survivors and your mess of wild warbeasts in the next scenario, JR. We’re going back to the bayou.

Dragon War Circle Orboros Krueger surveyed the grim scene before him as another torrent of blighted blood fell from the sky, killing several of the Iosans surrounding the Lord of the Feast. Behind him, he heard the hunting howls of war wolves and turned to see Morvahna the Dawnshadow had finally arrived. He cursed as he looked back toward the north where more reinforcements should have been, but none were to be found. He could feel the noose tightening around his neck. The Cryxians had already taken control of the wagon. As both the Iosans and Cryxians continued to close in, his chance of victory slipped further and further away. Through his mental link, Krueger tried to call upon the Gorax’s primal rage to enhance the wounded Ghetorix, but the sickening energies of the nearby athanc prevented the creature from being able to tap into its animus. Worse, Ghetorix himself was caught in the blight field, preventing Krueger from healing his wounds. Regardless, Krueger knew he had no choice and drove Ghetorix to tear into the massive Hyperion—but the damage the warpwolf had sustained earlier had left his mind crippled. His attacks were far less accurate, as his more savage instincts raged unchecked. Pushing him to the brink of frenzy, Krueger impelled the greatest of warpwolves to hold nothing back. Despite everything, it was still not enough to bring the hulking colossal to its knees.

Escaping the blighted energies of the athanc wagon once more, Krueger drew upon his most potent magic, unleashing an arcane hurricane across the battlefield that drove back his enemies with its sheer ferocity. He then cast Storm Wall and lashed out with his elemental lightning with great pleasure, annihilating a pair of Dawnguard Invictors in a flash of white.

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Dragon War (Continued) Circle Orboros Morvahna charged forward into the bane thralls, cutting down two of their number before retreating to add her own presence to the wagon’s escort. Her gorax charged the nearby scrap thrall, the resulting explosion from its destruction far from enough to damage its tough hide. The rest of Morvahna’s reinforcements also moved up, eager to stop Cryx and take back the wagon.

With a final crack and an ear-splitting howl, the Kraken finally fell broken and shattered to the ground. With his last remaining strength, Baldur called forth an earthrending crevasse from his Woldwarden, which sent several Dawnguard tumbling to their deaths deep within the earth. His work done, Baldur fell to his knees, Tritus slipping from his tired fingers.

But even with their support, it was not yet enough. From across the field, Baldur knew what he had to do. He turned to look upon the monstrous hulking form of the Kraken, whose tendrils lashed out to wrap about and ensnare the athanc wagon. The Stonesoul gave no shout or war cry as he lifted his powerful stone sword Tritus and charged alongside his favored wold Megalith, which had used its primal energies to shake away the pistol wraith’s Death Chill. Together, the pair struck against the black iron hull of the Kraken, the peal of stone striking steel ringing out like some black funerary bell across the battlefield. Again and again, the Stonesoul struck the infernal machine, holding nothing back as he allowed the inner fire of the Wurm that burned within to consume him as it lent impossible strength to his limbs.

Behind him, he heard the rumble of the wagon once more speed away. As the shadow of Cryx fell upon him, he allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Lyle: I really felt like I needed to bring down both colossals, but the Athanc Wagon’s magic-sapping effects hampered my ability to hit the Hyperion hard. I was unable to use Primal on Ghetorix, and on top of that, I couldn’t heal Ghetorix’s crippled Mind. Still, I went for it, and at least I succeeded in bringing down the Kraken.

Retribution of Scyrah Mighty roars and primal screams split the sky as the war above intensified to a fevered pitch. Enraged by the sheer number of blows he had suffered from his rebellious progeny, Toruk lashed out at Scaefang with all his might. Toruk’s blow dealt the lesser dragon a severe wound that caused its blood to fall upon the land below like a tidal wave and sent Scaefang crashing into the mountains beyond. Beneath this deluge, many warriors were laid low, and several of the warjacks and warbeasts were severely damaged—the blighted blood ate away everything it touched.

The unexpected assault from behind drew the attention of the Stormlord, but as he turned to witness the death of his comrade, death claimed him from the front. Garryth, Blade of Retribution, stepped forward and, in two smooth shots, sent Krueger crashing to the ground, twin red blossoms flowering upon his chest.

From the vantage point of the Hyperion, Ravyn saw shadows move. She studied the area behind where Morvahna had joined the battle. Without warning, Eiryss and her mage hunters struck from ambush, their circuitous path proving well worth the delayed arrival. The legendary mage hunter and her infiltrator unit sprung upon the unsuspecting blackclad warlock. Though the druid fought bravely, she was quickly overwhelmed. The deadly accuracy of the enemy’s blows were too many in number and too great in force for her to stand against. Even as Eiryss and her troops finished off the Dawnshadow, Ravyn caught sight of the graceful form of Narn, who darted forward to strike down several banes before sprinting away to the shadows once more.

Ravyn called upon her feat and dashed forward to eliminate the Lord of the Feast, but her shot failed to bring down the unholy avatar of the Wurm. A volley from the Stormfall archers, however, proved enough to finally end his threat and bring some solace following the brutal orgy of death the Lord of the Feast had unleashed upon the Invictors moments before.

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Plummer: Well, I don’t think that could have gone any better. Now I just need to hold out long enough to move up and take control of the wagon…

While the houseguard riflemen finished off a harassing war wolf, the rest of the Retribution forces ran forward in hopes of claiming the wagon from the severely weakened Circle forces, lest victory be snatched from their grasp at the final moment.

Dragon War (Continued) Cryx From above, another wash of dragon blood splashed down and caught the newly arrived Garryth full on, severely weakening his power field just as the earth beneath his feet gave way. In seconds, what had once been solid ground became a yawning black chasm from which wicked green eyes burned. With a howl of venting steam, the wicked form of a helljack, wrought and blessed by the sinister magic of Deneghra, burst forth. In a flurry, its wicked talons eviscerated not just Garryth but Ravyn, who was beside him, as well. As Nightmare flicked the gore from its talons, a Harrower charged out of the earth to cut down the shocked and horrified riflemen with one great sweep of its massive talon. Taking advantage of the sudden subterranean assault, Terminus unfurled his massive rotting wings and soared forward against the dying arcane hurricane that had been summoned by the fallen Stormlord. With an inhuman cackle, Terminus unleashed his own feat and created a black, soul-sucking void centered around himself. He then unleashed a gout of dragon flame, which incinerated Narn and ripped his screaming soul into the Lich Lord’s clutches. Behind the great Lich Lord, the pistol wraith floated almost serenely as it took aim at the exhausted and spent Baldur. With a dual crack of pistol fire, it ended the life of the Stonesoul and ripped his soul from his fallen body, which

the wraith clutched greedily like a child who had caught an insect within its hands. Finally, from the hole within the earth, the massive winged form of Deneghra the Soul Weaver and her mount emerged, and with a flash of power, she unleashed her own feat and soared to lay claim upon the wagon for Cryx once more. Seeing the minions of his hated father within reach of claiming the athanc, Charsaug unleashed his own potent blight, setting the entire field below ablaze. His unnatural flames consumed both living and dead with equal voracity.

Trollbloods It was as these black circumstances unfolded that the battered but defiant trollbloods emerged upon the field— unfortunately, they were some distance from the wagon, due to the cavern openings. Still, Skaldi bellowed for his kin to press forward, knowing that reinforcements were not far behind. There was still time to claim the prize for which Madrak had made the ultimate sacrifice.

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Round 4: Dragon War Circle Orboros Above the battlefield, Blighterghast raged as he realized Toruk was primed to claim the athanc shard below. In a final move of desperation, he turned from his battle with the Dragonfather and suffered a painful blow from Toruk’s powerful claws as he disengaged. Pulling his wings tightly into his body, the great dragon dove like a comet toward the wagon, his great maw opening to reveal a blistering inferno within. With a roar of superheated air, Blighterghast unleashed a torrent of dragonfire upon the wagon, bathing everything within its vicinity in a white-hot inferno. Deneghra shrieked in agony as the fire burnt through her powerfield and ate at her necrotic flesh. Little of the Circle Orboros army remained, but one bloodweaver night witch from Morvahna’s reinforcement party had somehow eluded the slaughter the mage hunters had brought. Sensing her moment to strike, the night witch did not hesitate to launch herself toward the burning Cryxian warcaster, using a nearby burning tree to vault through the air. With a prayer to the Beast of All Shapes on her lips, she siphoned her own life force into her blades and struck Deneghra. The blade parted burning, undead flesh, and the witch fell to the ground, destroyed. Too late, Terminus—who had left the wagon behind to deal with the Iosans to his flank—turned to realize what had happened. The last he saw of the wagon was its departure as the stragglers of the Circle’s reinforcements quickly arrived and ferried the wagon off the battlefield and out of the Dragonfather’s grasp. Lyle: Wow! Talk about stealing victory from the jaws of defeat! Things were looking grim to say the least when I lost all three of my warlocks in a single round. But Orboros was on my side when the results of the Dragon War chart made Deneghra vulnerable. Even still, the Night Witch’s assassination run was far from a sure thing. But she came through in a big way. Thanks to that model’s heroics, I was able to muster just enough control to escape with the Athanc Wagon—and victory. She’s today’s MVP; I think I’m going to need to give her a snazzier paint treatment to reflect her achievements!

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Plummer: What a brutal defeat! As always, Ed proved to be my nemesis in this game. Losing Ravyn AND Garryth to a single activation was absolutely devastating, and from there, I had nothing left to do but wait for the chips to fall. My one respite here is that Lyle won the day, and I don’t have to suffer another No Quarter battle report loss at Ed’s hands. In all seriousness, though, both of my opponents played incredibly well, and this was one hell of a game. Ed: This game could not have had a more spectacular ending—wow! The hit from the Night Witch was unexpected but somehow satisfying even though it delivered Lyle the win. He took a beating for the whole game, so to see him come back with the surprise victory was amazing. The NQ EIC wins a battle report—not suspicious at all. Terminus has his eye on you, Lyle. Lyle: Ed’s probably a little bit salty because his terrifying run of wins in battle reports has finally come to an end!

A WARMACHINE & HORDES Campaign

Overview “Battle for the Athanc” is a Game-Mastered map-based campaign for WARMACHINE and HORDES. Unlike a standard game of WARMACHINE/HORDES in which players meet and play a one-off engagement with no long-term consequences outside the victory or defeat at the table, a single game is only a small part of the overall campaign experience.

In this setting, a single victory or defeat is but one step on the path to total victory.

Game Mastered Campaign

In “Battle for the Athanc,” a single player takes on the role of Game Master (GM) for the entire length of the campaign. The GM is the holder of all campaign information, and his work allows for a more dynamic and realistic game experience. In a Game-Mastered In this campaign, players don’t take command of a campaign, players are not privy to the location or single force for a single engagement. Instead, they are composition of their enemies, knowing only what their in command of entire armies that represent a significant scouting and intel has provided them. portion of their faction’s military might. And in addition In addition to serving as the campaign’s master of lore, to playing games of WARMACHINE and HORDES it is the GM’s job to keep players engaged and on their every round, players also make strategic decisions and toes. Players can work alongside the GM to come up with make and break alliances, managing their faction’s unique house rules for experimental warjacks, thematic resources and allegiances to claim overall victory at the armies, character benefits, etc. The GM also oversees campaign’s close.

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random events and encounters that represent the ever- size over the course of the campaign, battles are fought unpredictable nature of warfare, giving the campaign an using the exact models listed in the corresponding army banner roster. air of uncertainty and excitement at every turn. In short, the GM’s job is to work with the players to make the campaign a memorable and enjoyable experience for all, filled with stories that people will remember for years to come.

How to Play

Army banner composition is a secret, known only to the GM and the controlling player initially. Over the course of the campaign, other players will have opportunities to discover the composition for themselves, either through actual battle or by attempting to scout the opposing banner from a distance.

“Battle for the Athanc” is played over a series of 12 campaign rounds. During the first 11 rounds, players will move their armies, fight battles, and gather and spend resources to expand their foothold in order to gain vital victory points. In the final round, the top five players will battle it out in a special multi-table scenario to determine which army will be the one to capture the athanc wagon.

Army banners can range in size from 25 to 50 points. Unlike a normal WARMACHINE/HORDES army, however, army banners do not include warcasters/warlocks or their battlegroups. Those models are instead requisitioned each campaign round, representing the comings and goings of these incredibly powerful characters.

Army Banners

2. Supply Depots – Every army requires a constant supply of resources to stay in the fight. Supply Depots generate supply points (SP), which players use throughout the campaign to purchase new structures and additional troops and to rally defeated army banners.

Despite not having a consistently present warcaster/ After the end of the 12th round, the GM will tally up player warlock, army banners may contain warjacks and victory points and an overall winner will be declared. warbeasts. Unless placed under the command of a ’jack marshal, journeyman, or lesser warlock, these models are considered to be autonomous models that activate as The Map independent solos. Should a warcaster or warlock ever be “Battle for the Athanc” is played on a game map present in the army, autonomous warjacks and warbeasts that represents the theater of operations in which the are automatically assigned to the warcaster/warlock’s campaign takes place. The map is divided into a number battlegroup for the duration of the campaign round. of individual sections. These sections are commonly known as map tiles. A player may only have a number of army banners on the map equal to the total number of his Supply Depot and Over the course of the campaign, players fight to control the Forward Operating Base structures. largest number of map tiles. The more ground they control by the finale, the better their position will be to claim the Structures Athanc Wagon and with it, victory for their faction. Structures represent a player’s military support resources. Every map tile is in one of three states throughout the A tile may only ever contain 1 structure. campaign: Structures are vital to a player’s success in the campaign. • Neutral – tiles controlled by no player. As such, they are sure to be high priority targets for rivals! • Enemy – tiles controlled by another player. There are two basic structures available to all factions in • Friendly – tiles controlled by the player or a player the campaign. with whom the player has a formal alliance. 1. Forward Operating Base (FOB) – These represent vital operating hubs for a faction’s military forces In addition to standard map tiles, there are several unique that keep lines of communication and resupply open tiles that represent special locations. Controlling these tiles and flowing, and they generate requisition points can provide additional benefits, as well as being worth (RP), which players use throughout the campaign more points when determining each player’s position for to requisition warcasters/warlocks for specific army the finale. banners. Army banners represent the players’ armies on the game map. During the campaign round, players move their army banners around the map. When two opposing banners meet, their controlling players battle it out in a game of WARMACHINE/HORDES. Each army banner represents a specific composition of models, as determined by the controlling player when the banner is formed. While banners may grow or shrink in

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Campaign Round

Alliances

“Battle for the Athanc” lasts 12 campaign rounds, which are divided into 4 seasons of 3 rounds each.

Players can form alliances at any time by reporting them to the GM. Should a player wish to break his alliance, he may declare this intent when his “ally” moves into a space containing one of his army banners. The moving banner must immediately stop and fight. The banners fight as normal in the Battle Phase.

Each round has 5 distinct phases: 1.

Movement Phase – Players submit movement orders for each army banner they have deployed on the map. Once all orders have been received, players then execute their orders. All movement occurs simultaneously.

2.

Battle Phase – Battles that result from army banner movement are resolved and reports are submitted to the GM.

3.

Resolution Phase – Defeated banners from the battle phase retreat, casualty rolls are made, and territory capture rolls are made.

4.

Resource Phase – Each player receives supply points Movement Phase and requisition points from their Supply Depots and During the Movement Phase, all players submit movement map locations. orders to the GM for each of their army banners currently Purchase Phase – Players spend requisition points on the map. While some factions have unique orders they on requesting warcasters for the next round and/or can give during the Movement Phase, all factions have supply points on building new constructions, adding access to the following common orders: new troops, or upgrading existing constructions for 1. Standard March – The army banner moves 1 space. their armies. 2. Forced March – The army banner moves 1 space and then moves 1 additional space unless its first move brings it into contact with an enemy banner. If the banner fights in the following Battle Phase, the controlling player must roll a die for each model/ unit in the army before the start of the Deployment Phase. On a roll of a 1, the model/unit is not deployed normally. Instead, it makes a Full Advance from its controlling player’s table edge during the Maintenance Phase of the player’s second turn.

5.

Alternatively, a player may betray his ally during the Conquer step of the Resolution Phase by declaring he will make a conquer roll (see p. 53) on his erstwhile ally’s tile. The conquer roll automatically succeeds if his ally’s tile contains no structure.

3.

Fortify – The banner does not move. Instead, the player is allowed to place d6 Trench and/or Wall terrain templates when an enemy banner attacks the player’s Fortified banner. These templates can be placed on the controlling player’s half of the table after table sides have been chosen but before any models have deployed. Note that these features must be placed following all normal terrain placement rules.

Banners can freely move through unoccupied spaces or allied banners. A banner’s move immediately ends if it moves into a space containing an enemy banner or structure, such as a FOB or a Supply Depot. As movement is considered to be simultaneous, if two enemy banners move in such a manner that they would pass through each other, each player makes a strategic check by rolling 2d6 and adding his faction’s Strategic Value (SV) to the roll (see pp. 57–59 for Faction SVs). Whoever rolls highest is determined to seize the initiative.

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The banner from the winning player moves, while the losing banner remains in place. The banners then fight as normal in the Battle Phase.

Battle Phase During the Battle Phase, players resolve any battles initiated in the Movement Phase. Battles are fought using scenarios. The scenario used is determined by the GM and must be shared with the players before the battle is fought. Army Lists Each player must use the corresponding banner’s army list for the game. As army banners are constantly growing and shrinking over the course of the campaign, it is entirely possible for battles to be waged between sides of unequal values. Such is the nature of war and why proper maneuvering and planning are of utmost importance. Supporting Banners In addition to the forces from the embattled army banner, a player can also call for additional aid from any friendly or allied banners within 1 space of the embattled banner. In order to receive aid from an allied banner, the allied player must agree to lend support. While it is highly encouraged that the allied player actually plays in the game using his models, it is not required. For each supporting banner, the player can add an additional 15 points to his army. Models used must be listed from the supporting banner’s composition. Models that lend support in a battle are subject to casualty rolls as normal. (Note: Allied models that share the same faction as the player they support never count as Friendly Faction models for game purposes.) Battle Casualty Resolution Step Models that were damaged during the battle but not destroyed or removed from play are fully healed. Units that have any models remaining at the end of each battle are returned to full strength. Officer models that are Unit Attachments count as solos for the purpose of rolling on the Casualty Table. Make a separate roll for them apart from their unit. If a Unit Attachment’s unit’s roll results in the unit being wiped out, however, the Unit Attachment is automatically wiped out, too. After the battle has concluded, players must make a casualty roll for each model/unit that was destroyed or removed from play using the following tables:

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Unit Casualty Table D6 Roll

Result

1

The unit is wiped out. Remove it from the army banner list.

2–3

If rolling for a unit that was at maximum size at the beginning of the battle, it now becomes minimum size. If the unit was at minimum size, it is wiped out.

4–6

The unit recovers the losses sustained this game.

Solo/Battle Engine Casualty Table D6 Roll

Result

1

The solo is wiped out. Remove it from the army banner list.

2–3

The solo permanently loses d3 damage boxes from its damage track. If this leaves the model with no damage boxes, it is wiped out. Otherwise, it heals all remaining damage and returns to the army banner.

4–6

The solo recovers the damage sustained this game.

Warjack/Warbeast Casualty Table D6 Roll

Result

1

The warjack/warbeast is wiped out. Remove it from the army banner list.

2–3

The warjack/warbeast heals half its damage, rounded down, from anywhere on its damage grid/ life spiral. If the model is not involved in a battle next round, all its remaining damage is removed.

4–6

The warjack/warbeast returns to full strength.

Be sure to list any changes to the army banner composition before returning the results and the updated banner lists to the GM.

Players earn d3 supply points for each enemy structure During the Resolution Phase, banners that lost battles one of their banners destroyed this phase. retreat and banners that are currently in enemy or neutral tiles can attempt to conquer the tile. Purchase Phase

Resolution Phase

During the Purchase Phase, players collect supply points and requisition points and then have the opportunity to Banners that lost their game in the Battle Phase must spend them on various items for the following round. now make a retreat move by moving 1 tile away from the winning banner. A retreating banner may only move Gain Supply Points into an unoccupied friendly tile. If this is impossible, the Players gain a number of supply points (SP) and requisition banner is scattered. Scattered banners are removed from points (RP) based on the following: the map. A scattered banner can be returned to the map in subsequent campaign rounds during the Purchase Phase. • 1 SP per Supply Depot Losing Banners Retreat

Attempt to Pursue

•

3 RP per Forward Operating Base

After the losing banner retreats, the victorious banner can In addition, players may earn additional SP and RP from various special map tiles, as listed in the tile’s description. choose to attempt to chase down its foe. A victorious banner may choose to press its advantage against its fleeing foe by making a pursue order. If a player chooses to pursue, he makes a strategic check against a target value of 14. If he passes the roll, his banner immediately moves into the space of the enemy banner he is pursuing. The two banners will resolve a new battle in the Battle Phase of the following campaign round. If the winning player chooses to pursue, neither the retreating nor pursuing banner may add new models in the Purchase Phase. (Note: Both players can add new models to their other banners as normal in the Purchase Phase but not to the banners involved in the pursuit.)

Requisitioning Warcasters/ Warlocks

If a pursuing banner wins the battle following a pursue order, the enemy banner is scattered.

and their battlegroup from the Command Roster at the cost listed. Any RP not spent remains in that player’s treasury for later rounds.

Warcasters and warlocks are the greatest and most valued resource of any military, and as such, their deployments are carefully monitored by each faction’s high command. To represent this, players in the “Battle for the Athanc” campaign do not purchase warcasters/warlocks and their battle groups when constructing their army banners. Instead, players may requisition warcasters/warlocks for specific army banners by spending requisition points.

Each round, the GM gives players the current Command Whether or not a player passes the pursue strategic Roster (CR) for their faction’s warcaster/warlocks. As the check, the pursuing banner may not attempt to conquer tides of war across Immoren ebb and flow, so too does a tile during this Resolution Phase, nor may it perform the ease of recruiting these powerful individuals for the any order in the following Movement Phase of the next following campaign round. campaign round. A player may spend RP to purchase a warcaster/warlock

Attempt a Conquer Roll

(Note: When a warcaster/warlock is purchased, that After banners choose to pursue, any banner that did not warcaster/warlock’s personal battlegroup—as listed in attempt to pursue this phase and is in an enemy map tile the Command Roster—is also purchased. Thus, it is a good or a neutral map tile may attempt a conquer roll to claim it. idea to pay attention not just to the characters themselves but also to the additional support they will bring with To make a conquer roll, roll a d6. On a roll of 3+, your them to the fight.) forces are able to claim the tile. Add +1 to the roll if your army banner is 50 points. Add a modifier of -1 if the tile A requisitioned warcaster/warlock becomes part of the contains any enemy structures. chosen banner’s available forces until the end of the next round’s Resolution Phase. Destroy Enemy Structures After banners have made conquer rolls, destroy all Spend SP structures on the map that contain an enemy banner and A player may now spend as much or as little SP as he no friendly banner. Structures are destroyed whether or wishes. SP not spent remains in that player’s treasury not the conquer roll was successful. for later rounds. Players may spend SP on any of the following:

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Purchase Additional Troops

Purchase Structures

A player may spend 1 SP for 15 army points worth of units/solos/’jacks/warbeasts. A player may spend multiple SP, though any remaining army points not used at the end of the phase are lost. A player may distribute these models to any of his army banners so long as none of them exceed the banner maximum of 50 army points. Alternatively, he may use these points to create a new army banner, provided that the banner is at least 25 army points and does not cause him to exceed his current army banner maximum. The new banner must be placed in a tile that contains one of the player’s structures. A banner created in this way can move and fight as normal in the following round.

A player may spend SP to purchase new structures. Though several factions have access to unique structures, all factions have access to the following two basic structures:

Remember, a player may never have more army banners than he has Supply Depots and Forward Operating Bases. Restore Scattered Army Banner

A player may spend SP to return a scattered banner to the map. The returned banner can be placed in any tile that contains one of his structures. It costs 1 SP per 25 points (rounded up) to return a scattered banner.

•

Supply Depot – 2 SP.

•

Forward Operating Base (FOB) – 6 SP

A player may only have 3 Supply Depots for every FOB he controls. A player may never have more FOBs than he has Supply Depots. When a player builds a new structure, he must place it in a friendly map tile that does not already contain a structure. Upgrade a Structure

A player may spend SP to upgrade an existing structure. Though several factions have access to unique upgrades, all factions have access to the following basic upgrades.

Structure Upgrades Upgrade Name

SP Cost

Structure Upgraded

Upgrade Effect

Medical Camp

2 SP

Supply Depot

Adds +1 to unit and solo casualty rolls for one army banner chosen at the start of the Battle Phase.

Mechanic Camp

2 SP

Supply Depot

Adds +1 to warjack/wabeast casualty rolls for one army banner chosen at the start of the Battle Phase.

FOB

Decreases the cost of the first Command Roster purchase by 1 to a minimum of 1 (limit once per Purchase Phase). Additionally, a CCC has a standing garrison of 25 army points. These models must be chosen when the CCC is placed and cannot be changed. These models only ever participate in battles fought in the tile that contains the CCC. Models that are part of the CCC garrison are assumed to always roll a 6 in the casualty roll step of the Battle Phase. Battles that take place in a CCC tile always use the “Destroy the Bunker” special scenario (see p. 56 for download link).

Command & Control Center (CCC)

2 SP

An upgraded structure always counts as its base type in addition to its upgrade when determining a player’s army banner maximum. For example, a player with 1 Medical Camp, 2 Supply Depots, and 1 Forward Operating Base would have an army banner maximum of 4.

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Battle for the athanc

Starting the Campaign

The GM performs several critical duties in the campaign. At the start of the campaign, each player rolls 2d6 and First and foremost, the GM is the record keeper and organizer of the campaign. The GM keeps the various adds his Faction’s Strategic Value (SV) to the roll. army banners on file and secretly tracks each player’s Reroll any ties. victory points and secret objectives throughout the campaign. The GM also maintains the campaign map and Starting with the player who rolled highest, players then coordinates games when scheduling issues arise. take turns choosing their starting tile on the map by placing a CCC structure in it. Another important aspect of the GM role is to set various opportunities for the players to earn victory The player immediately takes control of the chosen tile points throughout the campaign. Creating victory point and every tile adjacent to his CCC. He then places his two opportunities is intentionally left up to the GM so he can Supply Depots and army banners in any of the tiles that create fun and dynamic play experiences for his players. he controls. Victory point opportunities can include: revealing A player may choose any tile on the map as long as it is not map tiles that contain vital intel on the Athanc Wagon, within two spaces of a unique map tile or any map tiles rewarding players for the number of map tiles they control controlled by another player. at various intervals, providing players with secret and public objectives to accomplish, and capturing the Athanc Players receive 75 army points with which to create their Wagon at the end of the campaign, of course. It is the starting army banners. Players are free to divide this total GM’s job to make sure that victory point opportunities are however they choose between banners, provided they do created in a way that promotes the most fun experience not exceed their banner maximum and that each banner for all players. falls within the legal point-size limit. It is also the GM’s job to set the Command Roster for Model field allowance (FA) applies as if each banner each round. When doing so, it is very important that the contains one warcaster. Players may not include more GM creates a CR that provides interesting choices for his than one iteration of a character solo/unit between all players. The CR should present a unique strategic challenge their army banners. to the players as they find themselves presented with tough Players may include non-character Mercenary/Minion choices. Balancing the CR in terms of which warcasters/ models in their army banners as normal. Non-Mercenary/ warlocks appear and with what frequency is really up to Minion players, however, may never include character the GM and his knowledge of the players in the campaign. Mercenary/Minion models in their banners. While it’s important to have warcasters/warlocks that the players can access on the CR, it’s equally important In addition, players may not include character warjack/ that the CR remains fresh and does not become stagnant warbeasts in their banners. or predictable in its offerings. Done well, the CR is one of After all players have chosen their starting positions and the greatest tools you can use to put your players front and submitted their army banner lists to the GM, the first center in the experience of being a high commander in the world of the Iron Kingdoms. campaign round begins!

Of Allies and Enemies Players are encouraged throughout the campaign to make deals, alliances, bribes, and betrayals as they like. Just remember the most important rule: HAVE FUN! And make sure everyone else is having fun, too!

Advice for Game Masters

Most important, the GM is the driving force behind the entire campaign experience. The GM is, for all intents and purposes, the author of the grand story that all of the participants tell together via their actions and the unpredictable outcomes throughout the campaign. Far from being a pure arbitrator and archivist, the GM is an active participant at every level of the campaign. It is the GM’s job to provide thematic plot twists, sudden and unexpected events and happenings, and to monitor the overall enjoyment and excitement of the players within the campaign, taking steps to ensure everyone has the best experience possible.

While the GM effectively has the power to do whatever he wants, that doesn’t give him the right to do so. A good The “Battle for the Athanc” campaign is designed as a GM understands the age-old adage that “with great Game-Mastered campaign. While it is possible to run the power comes great responsibility.” The GM should use campaign without a GM, the depth of experience will his powers to keep the campaign exciting and interesting never be quite the same. but never at the expense of the players’ fun. If one player is struggling to make any significant gains because

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several other players are unfairly ganging up on him, the GM should absolutely use his GM powers to throw in a narrative and fun scenario. Give the allied players juicy objectives that require them to go elsewhere or make moves against their current allies. Don’t be afraid to shake things up. If one player has pulled so far ahead of the rest that it threatens to make the campaign boring and the outcome inevitable, the GM should use his power to make sure the campaign is compelling for everyone. Have farrow or Tharn raid the leading player’s Supply Depots, but don’t just arbitrarily say it happens. Instead, create a new scenario that pits the player’s small band of defenders against a terrifying Tharn war party. In other

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words, find a way to make everything part of the game experience. Give other players cool, thematic ways to chip away at the dominating player, like allowing them to pull off a surprising flank attack from across the map. To keep things exciting, every potential reward should also have great risks. A good GM knows how and when to use his power to build the foundation for lasting memories. Download the scenarios and a pregenerated map for the “Battle for the Athanc” campaign at www.privateerpress.com/NQ65. For more inspiration, check out the “Battle for the Athanc” Insider blogs on the Privateer Press website as well.

Battle for the Athanc Faction Special Rules In “Battle for the Athanc,” each faction has unique rules that represent its skill and approach to war. These rules are listed below.

Strategic Value — 10 The Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service (CRS) is legendary for their information-gathering abilities. A Cygnar player begins the game with 2 CRS scouting banners in addition to his normal army banners. A scouting banner is composed of 15 points of only Ranger units and/or Trencher Commando units. A scouting banner can never attempt a conquer roll. A scouting banner may perform a scouting action at the end of a movement phase in which it is not embattled.

To perform a scouting action, the controlling player chooses an enemy army banner within 2 tiles and makes a scouting roll by rolling 2d6 and consulting the table on the next page to determine the accuracy of the scouts’ report. GMs are encouraged to mix up the results to add an element of uncertainty and mystery to validity of the information the player receives. Should an enemy banner engage a scouting banner, no battle is fought in the Battle Phase. Instead, both players make a strategic check. If the Cygnar player’s total is higher, the scouting banner immediately retreats. The enemy banner cannot choose to make a Pursue order. If the enemy banner total is higher, the scouting banner is immediately scattered. A scouting banner can lend support as normal to another friendly or allied banner.

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In addition, a Cygnar player always wins the strategic fold, Protectorate forces are well versed in the subjugation check roll when crossing non-Cygnar enemy banners in and assimilation of native populations, whether by faith or by fire. Protectorate banners receive +1 to their conquer the Movement Phase. rolls if they are 35 points or larger instead of the normal 50 points. Scouting D6 Roll

Result

2–3

Abject Failure. The scouting banner is unable to come back with any information.

4–6

Faulty Intel. The scouting banner’s report is rife with misinformation and errors, grossly overestimating or underestimating the enemy force and its composition. It reports back with d3 incorrect models/units listed within the banner.

7–9

Good Intel. The scouting banner is able to identify the size of the banner within a close approximation (10-15 points). In addition, the scouts are able to identify d3 models/units within the banner.

10–11

Solid Intel. The scouting banner is able to accurately ascertain the size of the enemy banner. In addition, the scouts are able to identify d3+2 models/units within the banner.

12

Flawless Intel. The scouting banner is able to perfectly ascertain the composition of the enemy banner. The player my immediately view the entire banner roster along with any attached warcasters/ warlocks.

Strategic Value — 9 The Empire of Khador has access to vast reserves of conscripts and war materials. A Khador player gains 20 points of models for every 1 SP spent on purchasing additional troops in the Purchase Phase instead of the normal 15 points per 1 SP. In addition, a Khador player reduces the cost to return a scattered banner to the map by 1 SP.

Strategic Value — 7 The Nightmare Empire’s armies are fueled by the carnage of battle. All Cryx models/units gain +2 to rolls on the Casualty table following any battles they win. A Cryx player may not build the Medical Camp or Mechanic Camp upgrades. In addition, a single Cryx banner can use the special Underground Movement order during the Movement Phase. When used, the Cryx banner is removed from the map. On the following Campaign round, the Cryx player may place the banner in any space that does not contain an enemy structure nor is adjacent to one at the end of the Movement Phase. Then, the Cryx player must roll on the Underground Movement chart to determine the final outcome of the attempted movement with the GM.

After nominating the tile on which he wishes to place his underground banner, a player rolls 2d6 and consults the Faith fuels the many soldiers of the Protectorate of Menoth chart below. Add +1 to the result if the banner’s size is 25 rather than rigorous discipline and tactics. A Protectorate points or less. Subtract 1 from the result if the banner’s player’s minimum banner size is reduced to 15 points. size is greater than 35 points. Any banner under 25 points suffers a -1 on conquer rolls. If a banner that has less than 25 points is defeated in the Battle Phase, it is immediately scattered. Strategic Value — 7

Banners under 25 points are still counted toward the Protectorate player’s normal army banner maximum. Additionally, with such great focus placed on the ideals of the crusade and bringing all mankind back to Menoth’s

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Underground Movement D6 Roll

Result

2

Disaster! The caverns collapse. The banner is immediately scattered.

3–4

Failure. The banner fails to emerge. During the Purchase phase this round, the GM places the banner back in one of the controlling player’s tiles that contains a friendly structure.

5–7

Moderate Success. The banner emerges slighty off-target. The GM randomly determines a tile up to d3 tiles away from the intended tile for the final position.

8–11

Success! The banner emerges successfully on the chosen tile.

12

Like Nightmares from Below! The banner emerges successfully on the chosen tile. In addition, it may immediately move one tile in any direction.

the natural Ley Lines for rapid travel. Convergence players may purchase FOBs for 5 SP instead of 6.

Strategic Value — 6 Motivated by coin and a desire for adventure, mercenary forces rarely suffer for new recruits, even after brutal losses. A Mercenary banner which was scattered costs d3+1 SP less to restore during the Purchase Phase (to a minimum of 0). In addition, a Mercenary player gains 1 SP during the Purchase Phase for each battle he won that round, up to a maximum of 3.

Strategic Value — 6 All Trollbloods are blessed with the life-giving energies of Dhunia. All Trollblood models/units gain +2 to rolls on the Casualty table during the Battle Casualty Resolution step unless the enemy banner chose to Pursue or the Trollblood banner was scattered.

In addition, their bond with those who share their blood is so strong that it is rare to see Trollkin without the company of their full-blooded brothers. When it is formed, a The forces of the Retribution are accustomed to fighting Trollblood banner must include a Troll Axer, Troll Impaler, deep within enemy lines, without stable supply lines. A or Troll Bouncer. The chosen model is considered to have Retribution player may field one additional army banner an army point cost of 0. over his current maximum without penalty. Strategic Value — 9

In addition, a Retribution player may return scattered banners to the map in the same campaign round in which they were scattered.

Strategic Value — 8 The druids of Circle Orboros are masters at manipulating the mystic ley lines of Caen. A Circle player has access to the following structure in addition to the common structures.

Strategic Value — 7 The Convergence of Cyriss bases are far more sophisticated than the quick battlefield constructions of other factions, as Convergence bases are highly developed temples to the Maiden of Gears. A Convergence player’s Command & Control Center FOBs have 35 points for garrisons instead of the standard 25 points. In addition, Convergence banners may move between tiles that contain friendly FOBs or CCCs as if they were adjacent, thanks to the Convergence’s ability to tap into

Waystone Circle Cost

effect

2 SP

When moving from a friendly Waystone tile, a Circle banner may move to any other friendly Waystone tile as if the tiles were adjacent. A Circle player’s CCCs count as Waystones in addition to the normal rules for CCCs.

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Additionally, Circle armies are highly adept at ambush In addition, a Legion player has access to the following and rapid strike tactics. Unless it was given the Fortify structure: order during the Movement Phase, a Circle banner is always considered to win the roll to determine turn order Mass Spawning Vessel in any games played in the Battle Phase. Cost

effect

2 SP

At the end of the Battle Phase, the controlling player may place 1 Reclamation token in his treasury if he won any battles this round. During the Purchase Phase, a Legion player may spend Reclamation tokens to purchase Legion warbeasts. A player receives 10 points of Legion Warbeasts per token spent. Any points not spent during the Purchase Phase are lost.

Strategic Value — 10 Skorne warriors are highly trained and are taught from birth that the greatest achievement for any warrior is to find death in combat. As such, Skorne armies are among the most disciplined and stalwart in all of Immoren. When given a Pursue order, a korne banner automatically passes the strategic check. In addition, a Skorne banner is only scattered if it has no valid tile to retreat to when defeated in the Battle Phase.

Strategic Value — 6 Living within the swamps and fringes of Immoren, the races that make up the Minions have become extremely The Legion of Everblight is adept at moving unseen and adept scavengers and raiders. When a Minions banner striking with a speed and coordination no other faction destroys an enemy structure, it receives d3+2 SP instead can match. A Legion banner that is only composed of of the normal d3. models with the Flight ability and/or the Strider keyword In addition, a Minions player gains 1 Salvage token to his and/or the Raptors keyword can move one additional tile treasury for every battle he wins. During the Purchase when performing a Standard or Forced March order (note Phase, a Minions player may spend Salvage tokens that warlocks and their battlegroups are not considered to recruit new warriors. A player receives 10 points of part of a banner’s composition). warrior models per token spent. Strategic Value — 7

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Football Comes the Gridiron Kingdoms

Most of the sports in the Iron Kingdoms are bloodsports, but there’s no reason why soldiers in the field can’t take to a different kind of Soldier Field every once in a while. So, March marks the release of an entirely new line of Privateer Pins that are a bit out of season—we’re still a few months away from the first official huddle—but will be out of stock before you know it. In addition to our newest line of scrimmaging pins, we also add more of the popular cereal pins, a few more of the iconic symbols that dot the western Immoren, another chibi to grow your collection, and finally get back to a temporarily stalled pin this last February…

Kickoff for a New Line

If you’re going to be at AdeptiCon in Chicago, you might want to look for our new Korsk Kodiaks pin. It seems like the very best place to debut it. “Immoren’s a big place,” says Will Shick, Director of Business Development. “You never know—there could be teams for all kinds of sports scattered all over the kingdoms.” Following the success of the chibi and the cereal lines, the helmet series seemed almost inevitable. Who wouldn’t be thrilled to see the Caspian Bolts facing off against the Korsk Kodiaks, lightning flying around the field as the Kodiaks bear down on their opponents? “This gives our players something fun to collect that adds a more humorous side to the IK setting. The idea of these combatants setting aside their swords and pistols to duke it out on a football field defies expectations of our setting,” Shick notes. “You can build a whole world around these teams. For instance, as the joke goes in Caspia, ‘What do you call a bratya crime ring in Korsk? A huddle.’”

Extra Points

In addition to the new line, we still have more killer cereals, big chibis, and the popular logo series, which this time features a symbol long overdue: the Church of Morrow symbol. Morrowans, rejoice! Further, collectors of the logo pins can expect the Black Dragons symbol in April and a handful more in both May and June. The chibi line takes a step forward with Chibi Feora 2, and the cereal line adds two new additions: Cereal #7: Special Khador and Cereal #8: Honey Bunches of Goats. But as some collectors have written to ask: what became of Cereal #5: Quakehammer Oats? “It was originally slated for February,” Shick explains, “but the colors were off just a little. The white in the logo wasn’t white enough—it was a little too grey. So, we put it off a month to get the colors just right before we release it to our store and conventions. After all, on those rare occasions when we don’t feel a pin is perfect, we need to put the hammer down.”

Of course, we’re tackling the next releases right away, including the Daliskov Marshals in April and even more as we head into the summer. Lock & Load will see a special debut that Seattle folks will undoubtedly enjoy.

FOR MORE PINS

privateerpress.com/pins privateer Pins

61

By Matthew D. Wilson & Will Hungerford Sometimes, war is more than just crushing the opposition and defeating your enemy. When it’s time to add insult to injury, loot the bodies of the fallen! Bounty Hunt is a casual scenario intended for two players at the 50-point army encounter level. This scenario has a frenetic video game vibe to it, as players will scramble around the battlefield in a mad dash to gather all the loot that enemy models drop after their destruction. Because a ’caster kill does not result in an immediate victory for this scenario, there are several different strategies a player can use that differ from a normal game of WARMACHINE & HORDES. Choosing to craft an army as a defensive gunline with a few “loot runners” or an army of in-your-face melee monsters are just a couple of the strategies a player could utilize to collect the loot and achieve victory. Have fun!

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Bounty Hunt

scenario: bounty hunt Setup

Example: Matt destroys Jason’s Protectorate Reckoner Warjack. Jason places a stack of 8 coins within 1˝ of the Reckoner and Place six to eight pieces of terrain on the table before the game then replaces the model with the appropriate wreck marker. begins. No terrain feature can be placed within 3˝ of another Example: Matt destroys one of Jason’s Protectorate Wracks. terrain feature with the exception of trench templates. Wracks are solos with a PC of 1 for three models. Because The first player has a deployment zone of 7˝ and an advance Wracks are medium-based models, Jason places 2 coins within deployment of 13˝. The second player has a deployment 1˝ of the destroyed Wrack. Jason will place 2 coins for any other zone of 10˝ and an advance deployment of 16˝. Wracks that are destroyed or removed from play as well. Both players should bring stackable tokens (e.g., coins) Example: Michael destroys one of Will’s Gatorman Posse to use for this scenario. The tokens a player uses can be grunts. Because Gatorman Posse grunts are medium-based different from his opponent’s, but all of his own tokens trooper models, Will places 2 coins within 1˝ of the destroyed must be the same for consistency. Gatorman Posse grunt. Will must place 2 coins for any other Gatorman Posse troopers that are destroyed or removed from Special Rules play as well. When a non-warcaster, non-warlock model is destroyed A player automatically collects enemy tokens when a or removed from play, place a stack of tokens anywhere friendly model advances within 2˝ of an enemy token within 1˝ of the model’s base before removing it from stack or ends its activation within 2˝ of an enemy token the table. Token stacks are considered friendly tokens stack. Additionally, when a friendly model destroys or to the player who placed them and enemy tokens to his removes from play an enemy model it is engaging, it opponent. automatically collects the enemy token stack that would Refer to the section below to determine how many tokens normally be placed within 1˝ of the enemy model before are placed when a model is destroyed or removed from the stack is placed on the table. play. All tokens placed should be stacked on top of each During the Maintenance Phase, a player can remove up other so that the entire stack occupies the same area on to 3 friendly tokens within his warcaster or warlock’s the table. command range from the table. These tokens cannot be scored by his opponent and are removed from the game. Battle Engines, Place tokens equal to the Single-Model Solos, If a model is returned to play, the tokens placed by model’s PC. Warjacks, and its destruction are not removed from the table. Inert Warbeasts warjacks and wild warbeasts do not automatically place Solos Purchased as Groups of Models for 1 PC (e.g., Wracks) and Units Warcasters, Warlocks, and Troopers in a Warcaster or Warlock unit

Place 1 token for small-based models, 2 tokens for medium-based models, and 3 tokens for large-based models.

Place no tokens.

tokens; they must be destroyed or removed from play. Wild warbeasts cannot advance toward their controlling player’s table edge.

Victory Conditions

At the end of the sixth game round, the player who has collected the most enemy tokens wins the game. In the case of a tie, the game is a draw. Reminder: Assassinations do not end the game.

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dossiers give a s’ premier spy. Gathered at great expense and risk, these Take a look inside the files of Gavyn Kyle, the Iron Kingdom HINE and HORDES. WARMAC in ers charact nt importa of ions motivat and s behind-the-scenes look at the historie

, illancourt ro, Mike Va fa r a C r sca n • Art by Oatthew D. Wilson M By Josh Colo d n a

pyrrhus Out of the many covert intelligence gathering operations I have performed on various members of the Protectorate, several recently funded by your organization’s coin, I must admit that at first, I was perplexed as to why this individual had been chosen for my next assignment. On the surface, Flameguard Captain Pyrrhus holds no major authority within his martial order or within the rest of the temple as a whole. His actual battlefield experience only stretches back to the last few years, and by all practical measuring, he doesn’t appear to have the warcaster talent. Still, ever the consummate professional, I set about gathering information on this young Flameguard, and I have to admit, even I was surprised by what I uncovered. For such a singleminded soldier of the faith, there is a profound amount of controversy, intrigue, and outright secrecy surrounding him. But above all, I found the life of Pyrrhus to be one of self-sacrifice and asceticism fueled by a tremendous amount of faith—the kind that is found only in conjunction with an equal amount of tragedy and loss. Simply put, Pyrrhus views this life as merely grounds for training and testing to develop his skills to their highest levels, so that when he passes on to Urcaen, he can be of better service to the Creator. This simple and earnest motivation is contrasted by virtually every authority figure in Pyrrhus’ life and career—some believe him to be a tainted vessel of heresy, while others believe he has been chosen by Menoth for some higher purpose. — Gavyn Kyle

Pyrrhus was born in the village of Seniza to Martus and Nuria. I found little information on Pyrrhus’ parents, as official mention of them had been stricken from government records. From some cursory interviews with people in other

nearby villages, the town of Seniza seemed to be a quiet and peaceful place filled with pious and hardworking families; however, in the summer of 580 AR, the regional sovereign declared Seniza a haven for heresy and had the whole town and its citizens purified by flames. Oddly, I could find no official record of this event, but after some digging, I managed to piece together a probable root of these events. Apparently, one of the local children showed signs of aggressive and wild behavior traditionally associated with a tainted connection to the Devourer Wurm. Rather than consulting their priest, several of the townsfolk allegedly allowed the feral child to be secreted out of the Protectorate. While I do not know if Pyrrhus’ parents were among those who protected the child, this event was apparently enough to punish the entire population. These purification operations are always swift and thorough. No one ever escapes judgment. But as the following letter from one of the Cleansers to a superior indicates, this operation was different. — GK

Gavyn Kyle

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Pyrrhus Timeline

580 AR – Pyrrhus is born in the village of Seniza to Martus and Nuria. Summer 583 AR – The village of Seniza is declar ed a haven of heresy and sentenced to purification by flame. The boy Pyrrhus survives the fires unscathed and is briefly cared for while in the custody of the Flameguard until a permanent guardian can be located. Fall 583 AR – Pyrrhus is left in the guardiansh ip of his grandfather Calur, his only remaining relative. 587 AR – Pyrrhus begins a strict self-training regimen. 596  AR – Pyrrhus enlists in the Flameguard and begins standard and advanced training. 598  AR – Pyrrhus completes Flameguard traini ng and graduates to full member of the Order.

601 AR – Promoted to Arms master, Pyrrhus is assigned as a special instructor.

607 AR – After leading an elite unit of Flameguard in the defense of the Great Temple and on the offensive at Caspia, Pyrrhus is promoted to Preceptor. Late  607–608 AR – Pyrrhus is assigned to border patrols that protect supply caravans to the Northe rn Crusade. Promoted to Captain. Late  608 AR to Present – Attached to severa l prominent Northern Crusade Interdictions, Pyrrhus takes part in several major battles, including the second assau lt on the Thornwood necrofactorium.

Preceptor Mathis, As you have certainly heard from others in the detachment, the ordered cleansing of Seniza proceeded with the high standards of precision and excellence that our unit is known for. My soldiers methodically scoured the village, burning every structure and living occupant of the town. Afterward, we encircled the perimeter of the burning village. A few survivors attempted to get past us, but we merely wounded them with our blades and threw them back into the flames to carry out Scrutator Rugal’s sentence. After a full day and night standing watch over the flames, we did a final sweep of the ruins and discovered, to our shock, a lone survivor: a young boy of no more than three years. His clothes had burned and his body was covered in soot and ash, but he was otherwise completely unscathed. There is no way this child escaped our flames, yet he survived. I must confess that even now, I feel emotion swelling as I write this. Every soldier present could only stare in amazement at this little form who was wrapped in my very own tabard, and we knew then what even Scrutator Rugal later declared—this child had been spared by the very hand of Menoth himself. He has been under our care for several weeks, but we believe we have located the boy’s grandfather, who will be granted custody soon. Preceptor Mathis, I know I may speak out of turn, but I truly believe I witnessed a miracle of the Creator, and if you still have your doubts, wait until we have confirmed who we believe the grandfather is. I tell you, the hand of the Lawbringer moves in mysterious ways. Cleanser Arms Master Elios Joriah

While the above story may seem unbelievable, I have over a dozen letters from the other members

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of the Flameguard who were present at Seniza, and they all make the same claim that this boy, later identified as Pyrrhus, miraculously survived the fires that burned down his village. As for the boy’s grandfather, he was confirmed to be Calur, a renowned and respected Flameguard who rose to the rank of commander and was awarded several commendations before honorably retiring after losing an arm and left eye in battle. —GK

As a retired Flameguard commander, Calur was issued a respectable stipend that allowed him and his grandson to live in the city of Sul in relative comfort. What I could gather of Pyrrhus’ upbringing under Calur came mostly from teachers and former schoolmates who described the boy as bright but distant and aloof. All of the children of his neighborhood remembered Pyrrhus as a quiet boy, always preferring to practice drills and forms on his wooden staff over making friends with his peers. This odd behavior began to make sense once I got hold of Calur’s private journal. Starting at the age of seven, the young boy began a strict training regimen under his grandfather’s guidance, learning both the martial skills and code of conduct of the Flameguard. This training came at the cost of making friends or having any sort of normal childhood. At first, I assumed the grandfather forced this on young Pyrrhus, but as the following journal entry illustrates, this was not the case. —GK I have been telling Pyrrhus stories about the life and piety of his mother and father, of their bravery in the face of adversity, and of their service to the temple before they settled down in a small village to give birth to their son. I have even been telling him a bit of my own adventures,

all in the hopes of giving some semblance of comfort and strengthening the faith of the boy. It appears I have been far too successful in that endeavor. In recent weeks, a fire has sparked in the eyes of my grandson. He has taken to swinging a small tree branch around as a training staff and has even attempted to memorize the Rites of Vigilance. When I asked him if he wouldn’t rather play with the other children, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “I want to be strong for Menoth, so he’ll let me fight alongside mother and father in Urcaen.” All I could do was embrace my beloved grandson and tell him how proud I was. We will begin his training tomorrow morning before first prayer.

From what I can tell, Pyrrhus’ tutelage under his grandfather was rigorous and intensive; at the age of eleven, Pyrrhus began making prolonged training excursions with his grandfather in the desert outside of the city, using the harsh elements and the wild desert creatures to further test the boy’s resolve. These trips would typically last days, but on a few occasions some were as long as a couple of weeks. The following journal entry takes place when Pyrrhus was about fifteen years old. It details a particularly eventful trip, one that illustrates the lad’s growing skill and resolve. —GK

staff shattered on the enemy’s forearm. But my grandson continued to fight on, using only his shield. After a few intense minutes, Pyrrhus stood over the bandit leader, victorious. After the battle, the family offered us food and a night in their tent as gratitude. I must admit, my old bones desired the comfort of their hospitality, but Pyrrhus was too eager to continue his training. So, we agreed I would stay and rest with the family for a night and then meet him at Sul’s gates in a few days. Without a backward glance, Pyrrhus set off to train with nothing but his shield, my prayers, and his faith against the oncoming desert darkness.

A year later, at sixteen, Pyrrhus was of age to test as a recruit for the Flameguard. By all accounts, he passed each test with ease. I decided to investigate whether anyone at the Order remembered the young man’s past. Upon further examination, as the following correspondence between two senior instructors suggests, it seemed to be a source of contention among the Order. The following are a handful of letters (and excerpts from letters). —GK

We had been following the trails near the northeastern border when, just as we crested a rocky hill, Pyrrhus and I came across a family of pilgrims beset by three bandits. Before I knew it, Pyrrhus charged at the heathens. I could not help but wish I wasn’t so old and crippled, so I could aid my grandson, but I had complete faith in him and the Creator. Pyrrhus made short work of the first two, even though he only had a wooden shield and staff to combat their steel weapons. Their leader was surprisingly strong, and Pyrrhus’

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Preceptor Gilroy, I must confess my confusion as to your attempt to reverse recruit Pyrrhus’ acceptance into our Order as a trainee. Not only did the boy receive a perfect grade on all six tests, but his grandfather’s great service to our Order surely means potential through heritage as well. Furthermore, and I do not bring this up lightly, I was at Seniza when the boy was found among the burning rubble, and while I am not a priest, I do believe the Creator saved that boy for some special purpose. It is in the best interest of the Flameguard to assist in strengthening Pyrrhus toward that destiny. Arms-Master Instructor Layla Ruthani

Arms Master Ruthani, You mention the boy’s heritage, and that is precisely what I am trying to save our order from. The young man’s parents were heretics, and thus, heretical blood flows through his veins. Even if he joins our order out of pure intent, it is as the Canon of the True Law states, “The sins of the father live on through his son.” I am not the only one who sees the danger this Pyrrhus poses to the Flameguard, and even if he is allowed to join, nothing will convince me otherwise. Not even this purported deliverance from judgment.

a sparring session against multiple opponents to demonstrate the graduating class’ skill to the observing members of the Incendium. I believe this was nothing but a guise by Gilroy and the leading council of the Flameguard, whose true intentions were for Pyrrhus to suffer at the very least embarrassment and at worst a careerending injury. The following is an eyewitness account of the demonstration. —GK First, they came at him in pairs with flame spear strikes no less fast and sure as those done with the intent to kill. Pyrrhus dodged each attack and countered with great skill for a new graduate, defeating opponent after opponent. Once they began coming at him in teams of three, his shield broke, and for a time, he wielded a pair of flame spears. After those broke, it was a pair of shields. Each new weapon had been taken from a defeated opponent. The demonstration was halted after Pyrrhus stood over his thirty-third opponent, I believe. All of them knocked down but none suffering any serious injury. On a personal note, while I suspect Preceptor Gilroy and the others are correct about the danger of the boy’s heretical legacy, after watching Pyrrhus’ skill firsthand, I am left to wonder if the others who believe he is guided by Menoth don’t have the truth of it. Preceptor Aulon Sanders

Senior Preceptor Heremon Gilroy

Despite Gilroy’s suspicions, Pyrrhus’ training was allowed to continue, and after two years of training as an infantry soldier, Pyrrhus was inducted as a full member of the Flameguard in 598 AR at the age of eighteen. The following brief portion of a letter by one of Pyrrhus’ main instructors illustrates the young man’s last few months in training. —GK ...In regards to Pyrrhus, he continues to demonstrate excellence in skill and is currently receiving special tactical training. The only concern I have is that the other recruits misunderstand his dedication. The boy has no close friends and does not commiserate with his peers during assigned rest hours. I know that Preceptor Gilroy and others continue to view the young man with suspicion, but I believe Pyrrhus will be a boon to our order. Arms Master Layla Ruthani

Unfortunately, Pyrrhus’ skeptics refused to sit idly by and watch him—a child born from heretics—become a full Flameguard. As first in his class, Pyrrhus was elected to participate in

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After his induction into the Flameguard, Pyrrhus was assigned to standard patrol regiments at the main temple in Sul. While his superiors took note of the young soldier’s dedication and talent, Pyrrhus seemed dissatisfied; having spent his whole life constantly pushing his skills, the standard battle-readiness drills and sparring seemed inadequate. In Pyrrhus’ few spare hours off-duty, he sought out noteworthy warriors from his and other martial orders and challenged them to friendly but fierce matches. Some of his notable victories included Exemplar Seneschal Rixus and Lorden, an abbot of the Order of the Fist. The following is a surveillance report of Pyrrhus’ duel with Steelhead Captain Armond Dukain, as seen by a monk of the Order of the Fist. —GK Their fight took place in an alley just south of Providence Street. Several onlookers were there, including two patrolling Flameguard and a few Steelheads from the captain’s division. By my reckoning, Steelhead halberdiers are impressive when fighting cohesively, but rarely did one stand out as a singular fighter. Dukain was different. His speed and precision with the polearm was almost elegant in its own way. By the speed with which he could change his angle of attack, with a long weapon in a narrow alleyway no less, I could tell that the Flameguard had chosen

his opponent well. Their battle was fierce, and both men seemed evenly matched, that is, until Pyrrhus went on the offensive. Using both spear and shield in offensive and countering strikes, he eventually found an opening, leaving the tip of his spear mere inches from Dukain’s throat. Once both men were satisfied, the crowd quickly dispersed. No further incident from Pyrrhus to report that day. Adara, of the Order of the Fist These duels went on for over two years until a superior, perhaps under pressure from the other martial orders seeking to avoid further embarrassing losses, lightly reprimanded Pyrrhus. By all accounts, each progressive duel developed Pyrrhus’ style and ability, likely contributing to his considerable fighting prowess today. This unorthodox path for personal development bears a passing similarity to High Paladin Dartan Vilmon, perhaps the most renowned swordsman currently serving the Protectorate, who is said to have trained under several accomplished sword masters outside of his order. An additional consequence of these matches was that each victory also furthered Pyrrhus’ reputation across the Protectorate as a great warrior. Even today, stories of Pyrrhus’ duels are shared among the Flameguard. —GK

Pyrrhus proved himself an exemplary Flameguard, and in 601  AR, he was granted the rank of Arms Master, just three years after completing his training—an unprecedented speed for such a promotion. Instead of receiving command of a unit, he was made an instructor to the most promising recruits. During this time, it seems Pyrrhus continued his self-imposed training regimen, pushing himself far beyond the expectations of his martial order.

shoulders burning and our minds losing track of where our arms ended and our spears began. Finally, he had us spar trainees from another group, commanding us to use only the principles of the second form. I could hardly believe how fast my body responded to my opponent’s unnecessarily complex movements. After Kastor and I easily won our matches, Instructor Pyrrhus offered us a slight nod and ordered us to return to drilling with our classmates. If you knew Pyrrhus, you’d understand why that simple nod filled us with pride. Flameguard Initiate Orius Kingston

Five years after Pyrrhus began instructing, the Cygnarans besieged the city of Sul. While Pyrrhus yearned to take his place in battle, he was tasked with continuing the training of recruits, as the Protectorate needed well-trained Flameguard more than ever. Pyrrhus obeyed and was placed in a special instructor committee to develop a new, abridged training regimen that would see fully trained Flameguard in six months rather than the traditional two years. In the last days of the war, however, Pyrrhus was finally given his chance to command, leading a special unit of his former top students in the defense of the Great Temple. During these final battles, Pyrrhus’ unit faced the renowned 37th Storm Knight company, known as Morrow’s Thunder. The knights of this unit had fought in some of the bloodiest battles in the Sulese theater and had never been routed. Attached is an excerpt from a former student who was under Pyrrhus’ command during this engagement. —GK

While I don’t have definitive proof, certain unofficial documents have led me to suspect the hand of Preceptor Heremon Gilroy was once again attempting to sabotage Pyrrhus’ path to command. Still, Pyrrhus proved to be a harsh, demanding, but excellent instructor, as shown by this excerpt from a recruit’s letter to his family. —GK After our first month in the advanced class, my friend Kastor and I fell behind. We were not executing the second spear form to Instructor Pyrrhus’ liking, despite our progress under the previous instructor. So Arms Master Pyrrhus had Kastor and me practice the form on training mannequins, first at one-quarter speed and then switching between half- and full-speed, all day. He made us practice while the rest of our group trained normally and ate the midday meal and had us continue even hours after sunset. The next day, it was the same thing. And the next day. And the next. For over two weeks it was like this, our

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We had been fighting for what seemed like several hours, the sound of their lightning racking our armor and shaking our shields was deafening, but under the command of Instructor Pyrrhus, we held. At times I lost sight of him, since he chose to don the curved helmet of a standard Flameguard rather than the crowned helm his authority allowed. Before we left the temple, he said it was to remind him and us that no authority is greater than Menoth’s. With our leader’s skill and our faith, we managed to drive those Morrowan knights back, cutting down over a dozen of them and not losing a single of our own. After the battle, we celebrated in the Creator’s name while Arms Master Pyrrhus only kept his eyes fixed on where the enemy had fled, ever vigilant, looking for another attack that never came. Flameguard Kastor Everett

After the end of the war, the Incendium promoted Pyrrhus to Preceptor and gave him permanent command of his own elite unit, who were referred to by the others in their order as the Flamespear Votary. This decision did not sit well with those who questioned Pyrrhus’ lineage, and as the next document shows, they decided not to be quiet about it. —GK Official Writ of Objection Cause of Grievance: The assignment of Flameguard soldiers under the command of Preceptor Pyrrhus Date of Grievance: Golovus 12, 607 AR Additional notes: Many loyal and veteran members of our Order are not comfortable placing the lives of soldiers we helped train in the hands of a man sired by heretics. Pyrrhus needs to remain under close scrutiny as an instructor. We cannot allow someone of his dubious origins to lead our Flameguard to ruin, death, or worse. Signatures of leading objectant(s): Preceptor Heremon Gilroy, Preceptor Lucius Moore, Arms Master Miles Clayden After the swift and complete denial of the motion, Preceptor Pyrrhus and his unit were first assigned to Tower Judgment to conduct border patrols, but in the spring of 608  AR, they

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were reassigned to guard supply and armament caravans to and from the Northern Crusade. During one of these trips, the caravan was attacked by a sizable contingent of skorne just a few days north of the Protectorate border. I have attached a section from the leading seneschal’s after-action report that highlights his unit’s role in the defense of the caravan. —GK While my exemplars were forcing a counterassault against the skorne forces, it was the Flameguard that held our most exposed flank and kept all of our supply cargo safe. At one point, it appeared as if the Flameguard were beset by a tidal wave of red armor and flashing swords, and I feared they would not hold. But then I saw the commanding preceptor, Pyrrhus, move through the skorne line at an angle, as if he had no regard for his own safety. He pierced through the skorne with swift strikes of his flame spear until he stood in front of his men’s shield wall and with a booming voice ordered them to advance, driving the attackers back. While it may hurt my pride as an exemplar to admit, I say that we owe the success of this supply run to Pyrrhus’ Flameguard. Seneschal Elena Talbot

After his last caravan mission in the fall of 608  AR, Pyrrhus was once again promoted, this time to the rank of captain, and he and his unit were assigned to a prestigious Interdiction that took part in several noted battles, not the least of which was the final assault on the Thornwood necrofactorium in early 609 AR. Here is another part of a letter from one of Pyrrhus’ former students who survived that particular conflict. It describes a story that, from what I can tell, had begun to spread through the Flameguard order. The following letter is the least-embellished version of the event that I was able to locate. —GK It was a nightmare, brother. The bodies of fallen Menites, Cygnarans, and Khadorans littered the field alongside bits of broken armor and mechanika. All around us, the undead swarmed like locusts bringing unimaginable death. Then came the bane knights whose darkness surrounded my men and me like a choking fog. I heard several of us fall, but I could do nothing but hold my shield up and strike at the darkness with my pike. And then the world burned with Menoth’s fire as Captain Pyrrhus, the flames of his spear glowing brighter than I had ever seen, charged headlong into the tide of death. Again and again, he laid low the bane knights, knocking aside their own polearms and thrusting his spear through their armor. Eventually, he crossed weapons with the

knights’ lieutenant, and after an incredible battle, he brought the lieutenant down and broke its fell standard over his knee like kindling. I owe him my life, as do many others who serve under our captain. I hope that the Lawbringer blesses us with many years in service to the faith under Captain Pyrrhus.

and most concretely of all, whatever plans they have for Pyrrhus, I can say with absolute certainty that the young captain will have no interest in participating. Pyrrhus is a singleminded and focused man who only desires to be of service in this life and the next, with no regard for agendas or political positioning.

Arms Master Orius Kingston

Nevertheless, I do believe Pyrrhus will continue to rise in rank and authority in the years ahead. His actions have served to inadvertently silence and discredit the dwindling number within the Flameguard who still believe him to be a child of heresy, and while I was never able to uncover the truth behind his parents’ actions, it does not appear that Pyrrhus’ past will affect his future.

This final letter proved to be the most difficult to procure, mostly due to the fact that I had to copy it and reseal it before it was delivered to its intended reader, who promptly burned it after reading its contents. Though it may seem benign on the surface, I will explain shortly how this letter, which I suspect was written by a senior member of the Incendium to a ranking captain, might be the final piece to a puzzle that is of interest to you. —GK Tales of Pyrrhus’ blessed achievements are spreading through the ranks like wildfire, though I do not believe she is aware of this flame, yet. Many who doubted before now believe he was blessed by the Creator. This may be beneficial to the Order in the months and years ahead, as difficult actions will be taken for the good of the Flameguard. The scrutator supports us.

After stumbling into several seemingly unrelated documents, as well as mostly circumstantial evidence, this last letter has allowed me to piece together evidence of a mounting conspiracy within the leadership of the Flameguard. Evidence suggests between six and nine highranking members of the Flameguard leadership are involved. What the exact goals of this cabal are, I regrettably do not know. Their diligence in destroying written accounts of their meetings borders on paranoia. While I could speculate as to their intent based on the aforementioned scattered documents as well as my refined instincts for conspiracy, I will refrain from doing so, as that is not what you have paid me to do. I was hired to provide you with facts, and I will give you all I have, regardless of how few they are.

In fact, by his example and growing list of deeds, I believe Captain Pyrrhus will be seen as a hero to the coming generations of Protectorate Flameguard as well as loyal Menites. Still, if there has been one underlying truth in my investigation into this young man, it is this: by all accounts, Pyrrhus’ flame, while bright, is destined to burn out far too soon. The young Flameguard captain fights too hard and too brazenly. I believe all of this sacrifice is done out of a man’s devotion to his god as well as a child’s wish to be reunited with the parents that were taken from him so long ago. I am no priest and have no knowledge of the afterlife, but I believe if there was ever anyone destined to fight alongside his fallen Menite brothers and sisters in the City of Man, it is Captain Pyrrhus, hero of the Flameguard. — GK

Firstly, it appears that Feora, Priestess of the Flame and leader of the Flameguard, does not seem aware of this group’s actions, but I do not know if that is the direct intention of the conspirators. Secondly, if this group’s intentions do involve the higher politics of the Protectorate, they do seem to have support from unknown influential individuals outside of the Flameguard. Finally

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Operation Crucible: A LEVEL 7 [Omega Protocol] Live Event Breach the Subterra Bravo facility and race against time and other operatives to get to your objective. Players scramble to succeed in their mission and put an end to the sinister goings-on in the facility. Team up with your friends and be the first to complete your mission!

EVENTS 2016 June 10-12

Lock & Load GameFest 2016 is coming up fast, and we have a schedule filled to the bursting point with events that no Lock & Load attendee will want to miss. From Hangouts to tournaments, this year’s convention has something for everyone. Lock & Load 2016 is going to be amazing, so here’s a preview of the events we have scheduled.

Iron Arena Step into the Iron Arena and experience casual gaming that rewards you for playing your favorite Privateer Press games. Earn skulls for every game you play and turn them in for amazing prizes! The more games you play, the more skulls you earn. And the more skulls you earn, the more swag you take home. Open P3 Studio Q&A The award-winning Privateer Press Studio will be on hand Friday through Sunday, working on current projects and interacting with Lock & Load attendees. They will be available to answer questions, demonstrate techniques, and chat about their current projects. LEVEL 7 [Escape]: Belly of the Beast Immerse yourself in the sinister world of LEVEL 7. Small groups of captives awake in separate areas of the Subterra Bravo facility and must use every tool at their disposal to escape in one piece. Players must scramble to be the first to get out alive. The first player from each table to escape or survive will move on.

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Privateer Press Formula P3 Grandmaster Painting Competition Show off your painting skills at the annual Privateer Press Formula P3 Grandmaster Painting Competition. Privateer studio staff will judge the pieces based on their individual merit, irrespective of the other entries and categories. Judges will look at each piece and may award gold, silver, or bronze, based solely on the quality of the entry. In addition, one entry will be awarded best overall, earning its painter the coveted title of Grandmaster. Privateer Press Keynote Panel Join Privateer Press staff as they discuss upcoming releases and projects on the horizon. Be on the information front lines for all the amazing things coming up for Privateer Press. You won’t want to miss the exciting news! Privateer Play-to-Win Privateer Press has an impressive catalog of board and card game offerings, ranging from the mechanical mayhem of the Bodgers Game Heap to the intense resource management of LEVEL 7 [Invasion]. Privateer Play-to-Win is your chance to play your favorite Privateer Press board and card games and win some awesome prizes. For every game you play, you’ll receive an entry into Sunday’s drawing for some amazing prizes. Iron Gauntlet Live Stream One match from each round of the Iron Gauntlet, the annual WARMACHINE and HORDES World Championship, is live streamed. This way, viewers at home can enjoy the action as it unfolds. In the main event, the last two undefeated players face off in the final round of this premier world event. Corvis Calibration—An Iron Kingdoms Adventure Board Game Event Fight your way through the hard streets of the City of Corvis in this multi-table Iron Kingdoms Adventure Board Game event. Followers of Cyriss have turned

their eyes to the City of Ghosts, and it’s up to our heroes to discover who is at the center of the plot. Game Developer William “Oz” Schoonover will act as Game Master for this massive event. Dead Reckoning: An Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game Multi-Table Adventure Dead Reckoning is an Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game adventure of epic proportions that will pit several adventuring parties against nearly insurmountable odds as they battle tireless hordes of the undead. RPG Producer Matt Goetz will act as lead Game Master for this truly spectacular gaming experience. Iron Game Master Competition Sure to be a huge hit this year, the Iron Game Master Competition pits four storytellers against one another in a battle to earn the prestigious title of Iron Game Master. Four contestants will take on the same Full Metal Fantasy adventure and will be rated on criteria set by RPG Producer, Matt Goetz. If you think you’ve got what it takes to enthrall your players and create the richest in-world experience, try your hand as one of our Game Masters. There will be plenty of seats for players as well. Iron Painter Showdown and Trivia Challenge You can paint. You can even paint fast. But can you paint Iron Painter fast? Following the format of the popular television show Iron Chef®, the Iron Painter Showdown will pit contestants against one another in a competition requiring skill, speed, creativity, and grit. A surprise competitor will challenge the contestants, and all will need to quickly adapt and expect the unexpected in order to take home the grand prize. What will the 2016 surprise mini be? You will have to come and watch to find out. In addition, a few select attendees will be chosen to compete in an Iron Kingdoms trivia throw down. Participants will pit their knowledge of Immoren and Privateer Press against each other in a fun game-show format for fantastic prizes. 2016 will feature new trivia questions and expanded prizes. This is one event that will be just as much fun to watch as it is to participate, so don’t miss the excitement and drama! Unbound Exhibition Come play Unbound with Jason Soles, lead designer of  HORDES  and  WARMACHINE. Jason will guide the spectacle of three simultaneously played games and even participate in one. Spots are limited and five

participants will be selected through a drawing process from all interested players. Cosplay Contest Show off your finest Privateer Press–inspired costume. Privateer staff members will judge costumes on craftsmanship, creativity, and fidelity to the aesthetics of our worlds. Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and all entrants will have the opportunity to have their photos taken for inclusion in an upcoming issue of No Quarter magazine! WARMACHINE: Tactics Tournaments Warcasters fight for supremacy in the war-torn battlefields of the Iron Kingdoms in WARMACHINE: Tactics. These are tournament events for eight players with three rounds each. Who will be named champion? Closing Ceremonies Awards will be given, raffles will be drawn, and farewells will be made. Be sure to make room on your schedule for the closing ceremonies of this year’s premier Privateer Press event. warmachine/hordes tournaments

WARMACHINE/HORDES Lock & Load Masters The WARMACHINE/HORDES Masters tests your skills with your chosen faction. The preliminaries on Friday will seed the top eight finishers from each event, who will compete in the Masters Finals on Sunday. Masters Heat 1: Preliminaries (128 players) Registration: Friday, 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Tournament: Friday, 11:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. Masters Heat 2: Preliminaries (128 players) Registration: Friday, 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. Tournament: Friday, 2:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.

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Masters Finals (16 players) Registration: Sunday, 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Tournament: Sunday, 10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. WARMACHINE/HORDES Three Commanders Team Tournament The Lock & Load Team Tournament pits teams of three players against each other in a chess-style tournament. Each of the three players is ranked by skill level: General, Captain, and Lieutenant. Each team member plays against a competing team member of the same rank during matches (e.g., General vs. General, Captain vs. Captain).

WARMACHINE/HORDES Spelldraft Deneghra the Soul Weaver with Purification? Lord Assassin Morghoul with Signs and Portents? It’s possible here! Build your list, draft your spells, and bring the pain! Registration: Saturday, 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Tournament: Saturday, 11:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. 64 players maximum 50-point Spelldraft tournament with 4 rounds

Registration: Friday, 8:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Tournament: Friday, 9:00 P.M. – 7:00 A.M. 16 teams maximum, 3 players per team (48 players maximum) SR 2015 tournament with 4 rounds: • 35 pt. army lists • 2 lists required, divide & conquer • Characters Restricted • Standard Steamroller scenarios • Death Clock: 42 minutes per player Each team counts as a single player for the purposes of ranking. Control points accrued and army points destroyed are cumulative for all players on a team for the purpose of tiebreakers.

WARMACHINE/HORDES Hardcore: The Last Dance Hardcore has been a mainstay of Privateer Press gaming events for years, and this will be our final farewell to this tournament. Throw down in this awesome event one last time before welcoming Champions to the fold. Fully painted armies and fast, furious gameplay fill Hardcore with edge-of-your-seat action. Registration: Saturday, 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Tournament: Saturday, 10:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. 64 players maximum 50-point Hardcore tournament with 6 rounds

Iron Gauntlet: The WARMACHINE/HORDES World Championship Iron Gauntlet is the ultimate test of a player’s mastery of the game. The top 16 players from all of the 2015–2016 qualifiers will battle for the title of World Champion. Registration: Saturday, 8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Tournament: Saturday, 9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. 16 players – Invitation Only

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WARMACHINE/HORDES Scrambles Eight-man scrambles are a relative newcomer to the WARMACHINE/HORDES competitive scene, but they are fast becoming a favorite of players around the globe. As players turn in their lists, we’ll set up tournaments of varying point levels and keep playing into the wee hours of the morning. Each time we get eight players, a new tournament will begin! Ongoing Registration: Saturday, starting at 10:00 P.M. Tournaments: Saturday, 11:00 P.M. – 8:00 A.M. Tournaments with three rounds each

WARMACHINE/HORDES Speedmachine Tournament Lightning-fast play is the name of the game in Speedmachine. Beating the clock will be just as tough as beating your opponent. Registration: Sunday, 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Tournament: Sunday, 10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. 64 players maximum SR 2015 tournament with 6 rounds: • 25-point army list, Battlegroup Only • Close Quarters scenario • Death Clock: 25 minutes per player WARMACHINE/HORDES Double Threat! When two warcasters take the field of battle together, the destruction they can wreak is astronomical. Put together your favorite pair, and throw down in the field of slaughter. Registration: Sunday, 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. Tournament: Sunday, 10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. 16 players maximum 50-point Double Threat tournament with 4 rounds: • 50-point army lists with two warcasters/warlocks WARMACHINE/HORDES Staff Scrambles Eight-man scrambles are a relative newcomer to the WARMACHINE/HORDES competitive scene, but they are fast becoming a favorite of players around the globe. We’ll set up events of varying point levels as players turn in their lists, and give attendees a chance to face off against Privateer Press staff. Every time we get eight players, a new event will begin! Ongoing Registration: Sunday, starting at 9:00 A.M. Tournaments: Sunday, 10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. Tournaments with 3 rounds each. seminar events

Building a Linear Obstacle Hobby & Terrain Specialist Michael Archer will give a hands-on demonstration on how to create a piece of terrain for your home gaming table. This Hangout is an excellent opportunity to pick up some tips on how to make affordable and effective terrain for WARMACHINE, HORDES and the IKRPG.

Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game Miniature Kit Bash Ever wanted to know how you can craft the perfect miniature for your character in the Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game? Do you have a dastardly NPC for your game that needs a perfect model for your players to view in terror? Or maybe you just want some tricks on converting models for your WARMACHINE/ HORDES army. No matter your reasoning, come sit down with Hobby & Terrain Specialist Michael Archer for some tips and tricks to create your own characters from existing parts already in the Privateer Press miniatures catalog. Basing a Miniature Privateer Press Hobby & Terrain Specialist Michael Archer will provide demonstrate how to create stunning bases for your hobby miniatures. Ranging from simple sand and grass to ornate scenic options, this Hangout will focus on creating an evocative setting for your painted models. Scratch-Building Basics Building a model or a piece of terrain completely from scratch is a skill that takes a lot of practice and experience to perfect. Join Hobby & Terrain Specialist Michael Archer as he shares his years of knowledge with all attendees who want to start making their own unique centerpieces for their games. WARMACHINE War Paint Privateer Press Studio Painter Dallas Kemp offers a hands-on look at painting the traditional color schemes of all of the factions of WARMACHINE. Bring your army and follow along with Dallas while he offers tips and tricks for painters of every skill level, and you’ll be sure to get your army on the table and looking sharp. HORDES War Paint The same experience as the WARMACHINE War Paint Hangout except this Hangout is focused on the color schemes of all the HORDES factions. Metallic Techniques Privateer Press Studio miniature painter Dallas Kemp covers everything you’ve ever wanted to know about painting metallics. Come learn how to give the appearance of realistic and appropriate light on your metals using true metallic technique as well as nonmetallic metals.

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Two-Brush Blending The two-brush blending technique is known as the quickest way to get high-quality blends in the fewest number of steps. Learn the secrets of this invaluable technique from Privateer Press Studio painter Dallas Kemp. Intermediate- to master-level painters will find this technique useful for a variety of projects from amazing single miniatures to vast armies. Leather, Stone, and Wood The Iron Kingdoms are full of steam and steel, but deep in the wilds of Immoren, there are plenty of more naturally occurring textures. Privateer Press Studio Painter Dallas Kemp will share his tips and tricks for painting realistic-looking leather, stone, and wood for use on your hobby miniatures. Dallas will show techniques for painters of all skill levels looking to take their models to the next level. Glow, Gore, and Tats The small details of paint jobs go a long way to making miniatures really shine on the tabletop. Spend time with Privateer Press Studio Painter Dallas Kemp and learn how to make convincing glows, gore, and tattoos on your WARMACHINE, HORDES, and Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game miniatures. Lock & Load Outpost Online Hangout Lock & Load GameFest is going global in 2016, and this Hangout is our way of truly being a part of the international Lock & Load experience. If you are attending one of the Lock & Load Outpost events, we invite you to join key members of the Privateer Press staff for an exclusive online Hangout, complete with a Q&A session. Creating Narrative Play Campaigns and Scenarios Steamroller, Masters, and Iron Gauntlet are all fantastic formats and an awesome way to play WARMACHINE and HORDES. Some players, though, want to retell the story of epic battles or create their own stories of strife in the Iron Kingdoms. Join Organized Play Developer William Hungerford and Director of Business Development Will Shick for this foray into the world of narrative gameplay experiences. Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game Adventure Crafting Every Game Master has stared down the fear of not having material ready for their next game session. During this Hangout, Privateer Press staff will

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collaborate with attendees to create an outline for a new adventure to throw your players into during your next gaming session. Skull Island eXpeditions: Gazing at the Horizon For years, the lore and stories of the Iron Kingdoms had only existed in the pages of No Quarter magazine and our anthology books. In 2013, Skull Island eXpeditions exploded onto the scene, bringing with it novels and novellas detailing the awesome stories of the setting. Join Director of Publications Mike Ryan and Lead Writer Douglas Seacat for a discussion about what is up-and-coming for Skull Island eXpeditions as we move into our third year. Concept to Creature: Creating Monsters for the Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game The true breadth of creatures and encounters possible in the Iron Kingdoms is almost limitless. Players are as likely to run into a band of wandering bandits in the woods as they are to find a gatorman death ritual! Join Privateer Press staff and veteran game masters for a discussion of how to create monsters and encounters for your latest campaign. LEVEL 7: Subterra Foxtrot and Beyond What began in Subterra Bravo is now culminating in a full-on planetary invasion! Join Director of Publications Mike Ryan and Chief Creative Officer Matt Wilson for an in-depth discussion of the events that have transpired to this point in the LEVEL 7 storyline, and a look at the upcoming fiction from Skull Island eXpeditions. Whether you’re a long-standing follower of the games or making your first foray into this world, you won’t want to miss this. Game Theory: Creating a Positive Play Experience People play games for a lot of different reasons, ranging from family experience to competitive organized play. One common theme for all gamers, though, is that games are meant to be fun. Join the Privateer Press Development team for a discussion about what creates a positive gameplay experience in many different genres of games.

State of the Factions Privateer Press Lead Writer Doug Seacat will spend time going over the current state of affairs of each of the WARMACHINE and HORDES factions. The last few years in western Immoren have been busy and bloody, and this presentation should clarify who is fighting whom and what plots and schemes are currently afoot. If you’re worried about how your favorite factions are faring, hanging out with Doug should reassure you— or confirm your deepest fears. WARMACHINE: The New Class This past February, Primecast gave the world a first peek at the newest upcoming warcasters for the factions of WARMACHINE. Since that broadcast, speculation has been rampant, and everyone is dying to learn more about the new class of warcasters for 2016. Sit and discuss the details of these awesome new characters in person with Privateer Press staff. HORDES: The New Class The same experience as the WARMACHINE: The New Class except focused on 2016’s new class of warcasters for the factions of HORDES. Expedition Immoren Privateer Press staff writers Zachary Parker and Douglas Seacat take on the role of tour guide to detail the sights and sounds of various locales in the steampowered nations of the Iron Kingdoms. After the presentation, Zachary and Douglas will field questions. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to visit the Thornwood in spring or take a sightseeing tour of the largest Morrowan churches, this is the closest you’ll ever get. Widower’s Wood First Look This is your chance to play Widower’s Wood: An Iron Kingdoms Adventure Board Game before it is released to the public. Join the Privateer Press staff for an exciting playthrough of this hot new game. The Power of Playtest Meet with staff developers for an in-depth discussion about the development process at Privateer Press. From internal and external testing to model revisions, this panel will give an inside look at the process behind balancing your favorite WARMACHINE and HORDES models, direct from Privateer Press staff. The class will help shed some light on the process and importance of a solid playtest.

Concept to Model How do you take a great idea and forge it into a gorgeous model for the tabletop? Come find out! Privateer Press staff will talk about the process of creating a great board game from the ground up. From the commandos of Disco Team to the awe-inspiring warcasters and warlocks of WARMACHINE and HORDES, this discussion will cover models from all of our game lines. Writing in the Iron Kingdoms Privateer Press’ Writing and Editorial teams know more than a thing or two about what it takes to write the stories that bring the conflicts of the Iron Kingdoms to life. Join them for a look at the process of creating the ongoing narrative of WARMACHINE and HORDES, and see how the writing process shifts and changes through revisions and reviews. Skull Island eXpeditions Book Club Since its inception, Skull Island eXpeditions has published dozens of literary works about Privateer Press’ game settings. Come discuss your favorites with staff and writers and hear a reading from an upcoming release! Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game Props Telling your players they pull a lich lord’s phylactery from the debris of a temple ruins is an exciting part of any IKRPG campaign. Actually handing your players a lich lord’s phylactery is even more amazing! Physical props, maps, and models add a huge level of depth to any game. Privateer Press staff and veteran game masters will show you some of the props they’ve made for their own games and share easy ways to draw your players into the story you are telling. The Art of the Iron Kingdoms There are hundreds of illustrations throughout the entire WARMACHINE and HORDES anthology and even more throughout High Command, Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy, Unleashed, and Undercity. Join Privateer Press Creative Director Ed Bourelle and Art Director Michael Vaillancourt for an in-depth look at the art that creates the setting we all know and love.

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Area Iron Arena Hall

Events Hall

P3 Studio Hobby Lounge

Game Lounge

Arts & Literature Lounge Store

Stage Area

9am - 10am

< Iron Arena

10am - 11am

11am - 12pm

12pm - 1pm

1pm - 2pm

Privateer Play-to-Win

WARMACHINE/HORDES Unbound Exhibition

Corvis Calibration

Open P3 Studio Q&A

2pm - 3pm

Basing a Miniature

2pm - 3pm

Writing in the Iron Kingdoms

1pm - 2pm

3pm - 4pm

4pm - 5pm

5pm - 6pm

6pm - 7pm

7pm - 8pm

Glow, Gore, and Tats

Dead Reckoning

Operation Crucible: a LEVEL 7 [Omega Protocol] Live Event

HORDES Warpaint

Cosplay Contest

7pm - 8pm

Iron Painter Submission Last Chance!

8pm - 9pm

8pm - 9pm

Iron Painter Showdown & IK Trivia Challenge

Corvis Calibration

Iron GM Competition

6pm - 7pm

Concept to Creature: Creating Monsters for the IKRPG

5pm - 6pm

Iron Kingdoms RPG Adventure Creation

4pm - 5pm

Iron Kingdoms RPG Adventure Creation

Widower’s Wood First Look

IKRPG Mini Kit Bash

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Masters Qualifier

LEVEL 7 [Escape]: The Belly of the Beast

3pm - 4pm

Widower’s Wood First Look

WARMACHINE: Tactics Tournament

Metallic Techniques

12pm - 1pm

Creating Narrative Play Campaigns/Scenario

11am - 12pm

Privateer Play-to-Win Dead Reckoning

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Masters Qualifier

Two-Brush Blending

Writing in the Iron Kingdoms

Concept to Model

WARMACHINE: Tactics Tournament

WARMACHINE Warpaint

Game Theory: Creating a Positive Play Experience

Privateer Press Store

IKRPG Props

Building a Linear Obstacle

Formula P3 Grandmaster Painting Competition Open Submission

Open P3 Studio Q&A

Iron Arena

10am - 11am

Privateer Press Store

IKRPG Props

IKRPG Mini Kit Bash

Formula P3 Grandmaster Painting Competition Open Submission

Dead Reckoning

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Hardcore: The Last Dance

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Spell Draft

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Iron Gauntlet

9am - 10am

REGISTRATION

Area Iron Arena Hall

Events Hall

P3 Studio Hobby Lounge

Game Lounge

Arts & Literature Lounge Store

Stage Area

9pm - 10pm

Privateer Press Keynote

9pm - 10pm

10pm - 11pm

10pm - 11pm

WM/H Team Tournament

11pm - 12am

Scrambles

11pm - 12am

12am -1am

>

>

Lock & Load Outpost Online > Hangout

12am - 8am

>

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saturdAY schedule FRIDAY schedule

sundAY schedule Stage Area

Store

Arts & Literature Lounge

Game Lounge

P3 Studio Hobby Lounge

Ev ts Hall

Iron Arena Hall

Area

EVENT SCHEDULE KEY

BOARD/CARD GAME EVENT

WM TACTICS EVENT

IKRPG EVENT

HOBBY EVENT

< Iron Arena

4am - 6 am

HANGOUT

< Lock & Load Outpost Online Hangout

begins one hour

8am - 9am

for tournaments

6am - 8am

registration

< WARMACHINE/HORDES - Eight-Man Scrambles

2am - 4am

WARMACHINE/HORDES EVENT 12am - 2am

OPEN PLAY

9am - 10am

before scheduled time!

11am - 12pm

12pm - 1pm

1pm - 2pm

2pm - 3pm

3pm - 4pm

Leather, Stone, and Wood

HORDES - The Coming Storm

Two-Brush Blending

Expedition Immoren

The Power of Playtest

Scratch-Building Basics

4pm - 5pm

Operation Crucible: a LEVEL 7 [Omega Protocol] Live Event

WARMACHINE - The Coming Storm

State of the Factions Privateer Press Store

Skull Island eXpeditions: Gazing at the Horizon

Formula P3 Grandmaster Painting Competitions Open Submission

Open P3 Studio Q&A

Corvis Colaboration

Dead Reckoning

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Speedmachine

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Eight-Man Staff Scrambles

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Double Threat!

WARMACHINE/HORDES - Masters Finals

Privateer Play-to-Win

10 am - 11 am

All events and descriptions are subject to change at the discretion of Privateer Press. For more info on Lock & Load, go to www.pplockandload.com.

5pm-6pm

6pm - 7pm

7pm - 8pm

Closing Ceremonies

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W r at h of t h e Dr agon fat h e r by Zachary C. Parker

The dragons of Immoren have risen. Cygnar has secured the loose dragon athanc from Cryxian forces, but the agents of the Nightmare Empire are not the only ones who still seek the heartstone. While Cygnar’s armies march off to war in the Thornwood, Major Victoria Haley and Constance Blaize find themselves swept up in what could be the final chapter in a conflict older than the Iron Kingdoms themselves. As the clash between the dragon Everblight and his siblings unfolds across the Wyrmwall Mountains and beyond, the only hope for the warcasters to save Immoren lies in deciphering a series of prophetic messages from the athanc itself. Yet another, more sinister threat waits in the wings. Will Haley and Blaize’s efforts be enough to alter the course to ruin, or will all of Cygnar burn beneath the progeny of the Dragonfather? In Zachary C. Parker’s Wrath of the Dragonfather digital novella, due in late March from Skull Island eXpeditions ($4.99, skullislandx.com), the forces in pursuit of the athanc are not only racing toward a devastating confrontation with one another, but they are also destined to face an unexpected enemy, one that has waited a long, long time for this moment, one that will not be thwarted by the likes of mere warcasters and warlocks… The following excerpt begins as the forces of Everblight confront the Cygnaran troops bearing the athanc for the first time…

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SAERYN

Blinded and on her knees, Saeryn was overcome by a rush of emotions from her fellow warlocks, telegraphed across the miles via the athanc within her. Fear, confusion, and panic struck her like rolling waves. Terrible as such feelings were, the worst was yet to come. The mental violation was so overwhelming it made her sick. And she knew Everblight felt the same in that instant; all of them were exposed and vulnerable. Gunshots rang out in the distance. During the moment of confusion, the Cygnarans on the boat had spotted the harriers flying over the river. Saeryn tried to reach out to the beasts with her mind, but she struggled to make contact. As her vision cleared, she stood and took stock of her forces. Whatever had happened had caused every last creature connected to Everblight to suffer a similar disconcerting experience.

above the ship but rather the bellowing roar they had heard shortly afterward. “Incoming! Starboard side!” shouted a Precursor knight. Just then a pair of monstrous winged creatures took flight from the nearby cliffs. A set of four wings propelled the beasts through the air, and barbed tails lashed out behind their serpentine bodies. Blaize had encountered dragonspawn before and recognized these as seraphs, death on wings that came bringing poison and fire. A commotion broke out on deck at the sight of the incoming dragonspawn. Blaize was already in motion, moving among the crew and shouting orders. “To arms! Stoke the boilers, and get the ’jacks topside! Keep watch for boarders!”

A dozen rifles barked as the trenchers took up positions behind the railing and opened fire on the incoming Saeryn turned to regard her sister. Rhyas had regained enemy. One of the seraphs jerked and dove from sight her footing but clutched her chest where her own athanc as bullets tore through the thin membrane of its wings shard rested. Her expression was strained, and she and punctured its flesh. The second horror swept along the side of the ship and from its maw unleashed a torrent breathed heavily. of blue flame that consumed several trenchers. Those Rhyas shook her head. “What was that?” set ablaze collapsed or leapt screaming from the deck to “I don’t know.” Confused mental chatter from the other extinguish the flames in the river. warlocks grew in intensity as the disruption faded and With a keening screech, the wounded seraph came back their bond renewed. Saeryn pushed the cacophony from into view and strafed the deck, belching flames of its own. her mind. Precursor knights cooked inside their armor, and members Another round of gunfire sounded, and the last of the harriers plummeted from the sky. In their disorientation, the dragonspawn had exposed themselves. The Cygnarans now knew they were being pursued. Any chance for surprise was gone.

of the crew were engulfed in the blue inferno. The smell of charred flesh filled the air.

The sailor at the ship’s helm was caught in the torrent of fire and turned into a human torch, his arms flailing in vain as his skin cracked and blackened. In his death panic, Even so, Saeryn was not about to abandon her prize now. he fell upon the wheel, twisting it hard to the right as he collapsed. The ship lurched suddenly, pulled to the side. She was about to lead the charge down the pine-laden The vessel rose and tilted at an alarming angle as it veered slope when a deafening roar thundered across the foothills toward the rocky riverbank, and those onboard fought to of the upper Wyrmwall. This was when the purpose of maintain their footing. the pulse that had struck her athanc shard became clear. Somehow, the dragon alliance had discovered a means to The impact, underscored by the sound of splintering wood, rocked the whole of the ship. The hull cracked and locate Everblight’s fractured essence. strained as the vessel collided with the promontory of Saeryn felt the dragon’s anxiety at this revelation crush stone at the river’s edge. The uppermost reaches of the down upon her like a mountain. There came a tipping rocks sheared away the railing and portions of the deck. point, a question of whether it was wiser to flee into the The ship tilted even further, leaning into the rocks on wilds and survive or descend upon the waiting boat with which it had impaled itself, and only the extensive combat blade and claw and wrest the power to oppose his kin. experience of the defenders kept them organized and The voice of Everblight made the decision for her as it upright if no less desperate. spoke within the base of Saeryn’s mind. “RETRIEVE The voice of Chaplain Corley carried over the screams of THE SHARD.” the dying as he addressed the Precursor knights. “Form CONSTANCE BLAIZE ranks and lock shields! The beasts come around for Blaize rushed to the railing of the ship and looked over to another pass!” see the dragonspawn splash into the river and disappear The monotonous clanking of the cargo lift signaled the below the surface. The accompanying trenchers swept arrival of the warjacks from below. Smoke billowed from their rifles over the open sky for additional threats. What their massive steam engines, and their eyes glowed bright worried Blaize wasn’t the dragonspawn they had spotted with intensity. Gallant lumbered across the deck to Blaize’s

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side and took a protective stance beside the warcaster while the Centurions moved to shield the remaining trenchers. With their repairs complete, they were prepared to do glorious battle in the name of Morrow once more. The mechanik Reynolds had ridden the lift beside the warjacks and now joined the defense, a wrench in one hand and a pistol in the other.

with their spears and skewered the blighted horrors, pinning their thrashing forms to the deck.

Runes flared around Blaize’s outstretched hand, and a blast of holy light engulfed the winged abominations. Their blighted flesh smoked and seared; they collided with the deck, sliding and rolling over the planks. Chaplain Corley and his Precursor knights fell upon one with their blessed maces to finish the job while Blaize commanded her Centurion to skewer the other with the ’jack’s massive piston spear.

around her as she gathered the holy might drawn from the power of the souls of the dying to shield those who fought on, forming a shimmering aura around them, fed by the purified energies of the departed.

She issued a mental command to the Centurions and positioned them to receive the incoming charge. The Precursors formed ranks in front, locking shields once more, ready to repel the oncoming draconic boarders.

Amid the chaos, one of the Nyss cut a bloody swath through the Precursors with the curved length of her blade. A trencher attempted to impale her spinning form with a bayonet, but the Nyss spun inside the man’s defenses to disembowel him in one fluid motion.

Gallant had taken a more proactive approach, moving beyond the Precursors and, under Blaize’s direction, wading into the enemy with sword and buckler. Broad strokes from the warjack’s blessed weapon cleaved into the spawn, eviscerating torsos and sending limbs to flop Trenchers fired as fast as they could reload while the on the vessel’s planks in their last spasms of life. The ’jack’s seraphs circled above the boat and dive-bombed the vessel eyes burned a bright yellow as though it relished doling in tandem. The dragonspawn descended with mouths out such punishment, and the black ichor that splattered agape, intent on washing the deck in flame once more. its chassis dripped from its armor as if repelled by the holy Bullets tore into the creatures, causing more horrifying rites bestowed upon it. wounds, but the beasts came on. “Hold the line!” Blaize shouted. Runes materialized

Bolstered by the sacrifice of the initial casualties, the Precursors pushed forward, wading with mace and shield into the throng of dragonspawn. The knights’ blessed weapons swept down to crack the thick carapace armor With the seraphs downed, Blaize rushed to the shattered of their foes, and prayers to Morrow rose up and down railing in time to see a dozen dragonspawn of varying the line. Among them, a knight cried out line after line of shapes and sizes emerge from the trees and charge the the Enkheiridion—their most holy tome—and the words moored ship. Two blighted Nyss moved among them. of their faith seemed to lend strength and courage to the One of the pale elves wielded a sword, the other a spear, embattled knights. Before long, the deck was awash with and Blaize was certain these warriors led the assault—the blood from beast and man alike, and the structured clash devolved into an all-out brawl. dragonspawn answered to their will.

Chaplain Corley stood beside Blaize with his own shield at the ready. “First the Cryxians, now these. Whatever our A spear protruded from the back of another nearby relic is, the evils of every hidden corner in Immoren have Precursor, and the knight fell away to reveal a second Nyss. Horns jutted from her head, and dragon scales taken notice.” marked portions of her arms. The focused expression “All the more reason it must remain in our hands,” on her face was identical to that of the first Nyss. Upon Blaize replied. seeing Blaize, she invoked a spell and sent a spray of acid The dragonspawn clambered up the rocks and over the splashing over the warcaster’s shield and armor to eat side of the ship in a wave of flesh and teeth to crash away at her defenses with a persistent hiss. upon the wall of Precursor shields. Though the blessings “Warlocks,” Blaize said under her breath. Ignoring the of Morrow aided their cause, the knights were sorely acid, she charged forward, shield raised and spear angled outmatched. Slashing talons knocked shields askew, and to skewer the spellcaster before she could contribute to the barbed tails whipped over the line of defenders to open fight any further. throats and separate heads from shoulders. Rows of jagged teeth crunched through armor, and blue flame exuded from A sphere of shadow concealed Blaize’s intended target from her, and when the effect vanished she found herself draconic mouths to blister faces and warp steel. face to face with the sword wielder rather than the The two Centurion warjacks fell back and served as the sorceress. In a blur of movement the Nyss struck Blaize’s anchors for the wall of knights, their towering mechanical shoulder with her blade, spinning her about and stealing bodies protecting the flanks from assault. Beasts her balance. A second strike threatened to separate Blaize’s hammered against their massive shields, their attacks head from her shoulders, and she barely raised her shield turned harmlessly aside while the Centurions retaliated in time to deflect the blow. Steel rang on steel. The Nyss probed Blaize’s defenses, driving her back and putting

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her on her heels. While the Nyss was lightly armored, her speed and technique more than made up for it. Blaize issued a mental command to Gallant; the roar of the ’jack’s steam engine filled the air as it headed for the elusive spellcaster. The Nyss sidestepped a downward cut from the ’jack that splintered the boards beneath her feet. She responded by sending a large dragonspawn with snapping jaws and several arms barreling into Gallant, and together beast and machine tumbled over the edge of the open cargo doors and into the depths of the hold.

“There’ll be time for explanations later,” Haley replied. “Right now, I think we have more pressing matters to attend to.”

The Nyss sword wielder had recovered and was now slashing at the young woman with the kinetic fists, each combatant ducking and weaving out of the other’s reach. It was then that Blaize noticed the young one also resembled the major. It was as if she had brought an older and younger sister to fight at her side. This martial dance continued a moment longer before the second Nyss warlock battered aside a knight with her spear and All across the ship, the defending forces were beleaguered. summoned runes to surround her outstretched hand. A For each beast that had been slain, two of Blaize’s soldiers shimmer of arcane force sliced through the air and cleaved lay dead or dying. The Centurions were battered, one into the young woman, but rather than falling beneath a having lost the function of its shield arm and the other wave of her own gore, she simply vanished. possessing only limited range of movement. And while Blaize could still sense Gallant’s cortex in the hold below, The Nyss then came at Haley and Blaize as a pair, the she could not establish control of the warjack over the movements of one an extension of the other, as though distance. Even Chaplain Corley, who had dashed the skull they had been fighting alongside one another all their of a cat-like dragonspawn with his mace and helped bring lives. Haley locked spears with the horned spellcaster down several other beasts while directing his knights, while Blaize pushed into the one with the sword. The Nyss now rested on one knee, a trickle of blood pouring from kicked the base of Blaize’s shield, driving it downward, and at the same moment launched a sword strike over the the side of his head, his breathing ragged. top to cut through the power field and score a hit on the There was a crackling sound, and Blaize was caught offwarcaster’s shoulder. A warm trickle of blood ran down guard by the unexpected sight of a young woman with a Blaize’s arm and pooled within her armor, but she ignored braid of golden hair and bursts of arcane energy emitting the pain and continued to trade strikes. She managed to from her fists as she ran across the deck of the ship. The score a hit on her opponent’s side, carving a deep gash in Nyss appeared equally surprised; they turned on her only the Nyss’ flesh. As soon as the wound appeared, however, in time to be struck full on by a blast of kinetic force that it closed—nearby, one of the dragonspawn collapsed to threw them backward across the blood-streaked boards. the deck with a similar wound opening its hide. The young woman chased after with fists poised to deliver another strike, and she didn’t give Blaize so much as a Around them, the tide of battle had shifted, though the enemy was far from routed. A handful of dragonspawn passing glance. remained, but their fearless nature would brook no retreat Another familiar figure—clad in exotic voltaic warcaster unless their masters commanded them to do so. Likewise, armor—floated over the railing. She immediately faith in Morrow kept those knights who still drew breath delivered bolts of arcane energy at the dragonspawn. in the fight, and with the help of the reinforcements, they Though her face was obscured beneath a cowled hood and were slowly gaining ground. goggles, and her hair was gray, she still resembled Major Victoria Haley, at least in Blaize’s eyes. Her confusion A roar rolled over the hills then—deep and powerful, like was compounded when yet another figure—this time the one Blaize had heard just before the assault began. The confirmed to actually be Major Haley—climbed aboard very sound seemed to give the warlocks and their beasts accompanied by Arlan Strangewayes and a team of pause. A shadow fell across the ship, and combatants on both sides looked up to see a winged figure the size of a rangers and trenchers. mountain peak eclipse the sun. “It looks like you could use some help,” Haley said, speaking over the staccato gunfire of her rangers as they Blaize felt her heart rise up into her throat as the dragon zeroed in on the remaining dragonspawn, adding their swooped down, its massive fanged maw open wide as if support to the arcane blasts of the older woman. Haley ready to swallow the ship and all on board whole. positioned herself at Blaize’s back, drawing her hand cannon and opening fire as she did so. “Not to be seen as ungrateful, but last I heard, you were recovering in the infirmary at Point Bourne,” Blaize said. “And we’re a long way from Point Bourne.”

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An Interview with RPG Producer Matt Goetz and Publications Director Michael G. Ryan Immortality: An Iron Kingdoms Adventure hits stores in April. It was born as a serialized Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy campaign in the pages of No Quarter, and has now been collected and expanded for its own standalone release. We caught up with Matt Goetz and Mike Ryan to get some more info on Immortality ahead of its release.

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No Quarter: What is Immortality? Matt Goetz: Immortality is a full campaign for the Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game. It started as a linked series of articles written for No Quarter, which we’ve compiled with some new material as a full campaign book. Michael G. Ryan: Its uniqueness stems from how it was created—over the course of a full calendar year, it grew stage by stage in the pages of No Quarter, each chapter or pair of chapters capable of standing alone. We’ve expanded the content to make the chapters tie together even more effectively, allowing a Game Master to run the Immortality adventure across multiple sessions. NQ: You both mentioned new material. What will be included in this Immortality publication that was not part of its original No Quarter release? MG: There are interludes in the book that act as bridges between the major parts of the campaign. In them, we tried to give a little more depth to the campaign (and tie up a loose end or two). MGR: Game Masters get a bit more freedom with the interludes as well—the causes and effects of the interludes allow the Game Master to pick and choose the elements that keep the story moving, and in many cases, those elements can be presented in most any order. The interludes move the adventure along at a pace that works best for your gaming group. NQ: Can you give us a little summary of what the campaign is about? MG: The campaign is about the rogue Greylord Vladislav Abrosim and his plot to achieve immortality. The PCs get embroiled in the story early on, so there’s a bit of give and take between Abrosim and the heroes. They start to get in the way of his plans, so he does his best to get them out of the picture. That’s the short version. But I think the story is also about the pursuit of power at any cost. As you play through the campaign, you see the really heinous things that Abrosim is willing to do to achieve his goal. He’s not just killing people or robbing them of possessions. He’s robbing people of their humanity—and often leaves them alive in that inhuman state. MGR: I’d love to say it’s about man’s inhumanity to man, but our story doesn’t end with a great white whale obliterating the PCs’ entire party except for a lone mechanik named Ishmael. Still, that would’ve been cool—Abrosim turns out to be a great white warjack. In truth, it’s a universal story: crazy people do crazy stuff, and sane people need to rein them in. Abrosim is not above sacrificing even his closest lieutenants to get what he wants, and if he’ll kill them, what’s to keep him from killing everybody else along the way?

NQ: Greylord Abrosim sounds like one frightening foe. How many heroes will it take to challenge him? MG: The campaign is designed for four or five Hero-level characters. It’s best to start with new characters during the prologue scenario, and each major milestone has guidance for how the Game Master should reward experience to the players. While the adventure won’t take you all the way to the Veteran level, by the time a group of PCs finish the adventure they should have a hefty chunk of experience under their belt. NQ: What kinds of players will enjoy Immortality? MG: The kinds of players who enjoy a mixture of investigation and action. There’s a balance of both in each installment of the campaign. Going in guns blazing is certainly an option, but when the campaign was first being written, we tried to provide extras for the players who took the time to look around and talk to the NPCs and dig up exactly what was going on. There is extra information, extra equipment, and a fuller story for those who take the time to poke around in the corners to see what stirs. MGR: To mangle a quote from the movie Full Metal Jacket: Travel to exotic, distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people; and kill them. This adventure offers all of that, and you don’t even have to do all three. You can get your Iron Kingdoms fix in the locales and hallmarks that let you know you move in the lands of warjacks and warcasters; you can roleplay with characters and careers that let you stand at the center of the stage in a full spotlight; and you can beat the hell out of the bad guys with your sword and magelock. It’s a trifecta of gaming, I think. NQ: Immortality is set in the Full Metal Fantasy side of the Iron Kingdoms. What about people who want to play Unleashed characters? MG: It’s possible to play Immortality with Unleashed characters, but it was definitely developed with Full Metal Fantasy in mind. There’s a lot of social interaction with villagers that could cause problems for some Unleashed PCs (bog trogs, gatormen, and Tharn, I’m looking at you), but I’m confident a Game Master could tweak things around a bit in order to make it work for pretty much any character. MGR: Though we created it with more human-like PCs in mind, trotting a gatorman into an urban setting to solve a murder mystery promises a most entertaining RPG session. Then, when the mystery is solved, the gatorman can simply eat the culprit. The end. There should be more experience for that. . .

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NQ: What was your favorite aspect of producing this adventure? Any interesting anecdotes? MG: Well, it was always amusing to watch Mike pantomime the actions of the alchemist Olivia Morado. . . One of my favorite behind-the-scenes moments for the adventure, though, was the development of Gallo Morado, the Crimson Man. He’s this big, monstrous guy whose body has been twisted by alchemy. I had a clear image in mind of what the alchemical compounds had done to Gallo’s body. When it came time to shoot off an art description to our art director Mike Vallaincourt, I knew it would be difficult to articulate. So, instead I sat down with the talented sculptor Michael Jenkins when we both had some free time. Starting with a napkin sketch I’d done, Mike carefully pushed and pulled polygons to capture the grisly, monstrous face of the Crimson Man. The sculpt was sent to the illustrator to use as impromptu concept art for the final illustration in the book, sorta reversing the normal process for Jenkins. It was a lot of fun to sit down and create a 3D “police sketch” of one of the series’ more memorable NPCs. MGR: Matt and I had an unusual process for creating this adventure. First, we sat together and drafted a general plot outline for how each chapter of the adventure would progress. Then the writing began. Because we were on a strict deadline for No Quarter, we had to make steady progress, and we couldn’t risk one guy writing and the other guy reviewing, only to have a problem from the beginning that necessitated starting over. So, every day, I would write a few hundred words, send them to Matt, and he would review them. Then he’d send me back notes—sometimes with higher word counts than I sent him in the first place—and I’d do cleanup on those words plus the next wave of words the following day. We went on like this issue after issue, month after month, and it was hard; I needed to produce daily if we were to have time to review it and revise it and make it right. I caught myself scribbling notes in restaurants and asking my wife to send me text messages when I was driving us to a holiday party so I’d have my RPG ideas in a text for review later. Finally, we hit a scene late in the story in a dark setting with a host of “unkillables,” some of the test victims of Abrosim’s quest for immortality. I’d been on a writing tear that week, feeling the pressure of deadlines, and I gave Matt more text than usual in the first draft. He came to my office, shaking his head. “No, no, no. We have a problem here.” We walked through it to find the issue, and I did a second draft the next day—no new material, just rehashing what wasn’t working in the unkillables scene. Once again, Matt came to me. “I think you’re missing something here. It should be more like this.”

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I did a third draft. Deadline was looming. I was now only hitting the bare minimal word count, just trying to nail scene down to Matt’s satisfaction. After I sent it over to him, he came to see me, shaking his head in a most pitying way. “So, here’s what I think,” he began. “I think—” “If it’s not right,” I interrupted, “you get to write the next draft.” “—we should go with your first draft,” he finished. “Great, good. Let’s move on. Glad we worked this out.” In that moment, it was fortunate for Matt that he qualified as “unkillable,” too.

T

he Iron Kingdoms abound with people both good and evil, but many others live, survive, and even thrive in the grey shadows between heroics and villainy. Social misfits but not always social outcasts, they make their way through the world any way they can—even if it results in hardship for others. In the end, even scoundrels and sell-swords feel justified in doing what they must to stay alive. These kinds of characters make excellent NPCs—whether as antagonists or allies—for your ® Iron Kingdoms RPG campaign. This time you’ll meet Lanel Gozca, a Cyrissist whose radical beliefs fuel his deadly machinations.

LANEL GOZCA, the “Clockwork Killer” By William Overstreet and Zachary C. Parker • Art by Kiri Østergaard Leonard Better known to the citizens of Ceryl as the “Clockwork Killer,” Lanel Gozca is a radical Cyrissist beholden only to his own misguided worship of the Maiden of Gears. Formerly imprisoned for the accidental death of his wife and son, Lanel experienced religious enlightenment while serving his sentence. He now stalks the streets of Ceryl’s slums and market districts in search of those he views as acting in opposition to the will of his goddess. To date, more than two-dozen murders have been attributed to Lanel; his victims are easily identified by mechanikal alterations made to their bodies post-mortem. These modifications are nothing more than practice for Lanel’s own gradual transformation from man to machine.

LANEL GOZCA: A BRIEF HISTORY Prior to his incarceration, Lanel lived as a mechanik, fixing second-hand laborjacks in the small town of Densport near Highgate. There he worked alongside his wife and fellow mechanik, Allesandra di Toryn. Together with their infant son, the two of them lived in the small apartment above their shop. Lanel and Allessandra were people of strong conviction, she a devout though discreet Cyrissist, her nose

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always in books and her mind open to new concepts, and he a staunch supporter of the local labor unions that provided their shop with a steady stream of ’jacks to repair. The couple was content with their lot in life and likely would have gone on being so had it not been for a tragic accident involving a laborjack boiler. Left unattended, the boiler’s pressure built until it ultimately exploded, destroying both the workshop and the living quarters and killing Lanel’s wife and child. Lanel himself was spared. He had ventured down the street to fill a parts order when the incident occurred, though the authorities found his negligence to be the cause of the incident and sentenced him to ten years in prison. Overcome with equal parts heartache and denial, he mourned his wife and child in the confines of his cell. Lanel had never been a religious man, but adrift in his own grief, he turned to the faith his wife had observed and began to study it, hoping to hold onto the embers of the star that had once been in his life. His grief lessened day by day, and in time, the Clockwork Goddess his wife had spoken of began to fill the void within him.

Lanel spends his nights stalking the streets of Ceryl in search of those who he views as working in opposition to the goddess. He primarily targets anti-intellectuals and those who seek to impede the inevitable march of technology and progress. Often dressed in rags, Lanel masks his appearance and blends into the city’s vagrant population to avoid detection and track his victims.

OUT IN THE WORLD

Gruesome slayings attributed to the “Clockwork Killer” have gained notoriety throughout western Cygnar. Any group with one or more investigators might find themselves drawn to the murder spree now plaguing Ceryl and the killer who has so deftly evaded the authorities. Wanted posters offering a substantial award for the capture of a hooded figure with a mechanikal arm mark the streets of the coastal city, and the lure of coin may exert a strong pull over the PCs. Alternatively, the party may learn of the renegade Cyrissist through other means, such as stumbling upon one of his victims or investigating a missing person report for someone Over the decade he spent in prison, Lanel’s convictions later discovered to have been murdered. In these cases, the hardened. Upon his release, he dedicated his life to serving PCs may not initially know they are dealing with Lanel. For the Maiden of Gears. Without contacts by which to further instance, PCs who are familiar with the Ordic serial killer his education regarding Cyriss, Lanel took it upon himself to Gavriel di Maro may mistakenly believe the Ordsman is continue his path to enlightenment. Desiring the mechanical responsible for the killings. perfection of the goddess, he reasoned he could draw closer to the faith by removing his weak flesh. He studied technical and Despite Lanel’s murderous path, he is not above reasoning medical texts in search of better techniques for the fabrication with others. Splinter sects of Cyrissists exist throughout and implementation of mechanikal prosthetics. Not long after, Immoren, and it may be possible for the PCs to convince Lanel Lanel performed his first amputation, severing his own hand to join a group more accepting of his current physical form and fitting the cauterized stump with a crude imitation. than the unwavering purists like those he presently pursues, perhaps putting an end to his string of killings. Doing so will This early effort to become closer to the goddess ultimately led likely require the PCs to appeal to Lanel’s better nature and to Lanel’s exclusion by the very organization he had hoped to help him reconnect with the memory of his life before his join. Upon making contact with a devout cell of Cyrissists, incarceration. If the party contains one or more Cyrissists, Lanel was promptly turned away—his partial transformation Lanel may be willing to ally himself with the PCs, especially was viewed as a transgression against the Maiden of Gears. if their current agenda is in support of the Maiden of Gears. In truth, his lack of formal study also played a role in his Once Lanel’s trust has been gained, the PCs can direct him dismissal, as he lacked the studied intelligence of most true to targets of their choosing if they give him adequate cause Cyrissists. After the loss of his family, the temple’s rejection to act. had a significant impact on the former mechanik and cast him back into a state of deep depression for a brief time. Yet the Lanel views his gradual transformation from man to machine Maiden of Gears did not abandon him, and again he felt her as the single most important aspect of his existence. Unless comforting presence restore his will. the players alter his path, he will continue to commit murders in Ceryl to eliminate the perceived enemies of the Rather than abandoning his pledge to the goddess, Lanel goddess and further his anatomical knowledge. With the now endeavors to serve her in his own way: by destroying the majority of his limbs converted to prosthetics, Lanel’s next Maiden’s enemies. He believes this will prove him worthy of stage of modifications, including the replacement of internal her favor and allow him to join the ranks of true Cyrissists and organs, may prove more problematic: as the complexity of take his rightful place among them. He would help usher in a his operation grows, so too will the frequency with which new and brighter future for not only Cygnar but all of Caen, he takes the lives of others. If the risk of getting caught by as he helped to transform it into a vessel for their goddess. In the authorities becomes too great or he cannot locate the his mind, the best way to achieve this goal is the eradication resources needed to alter his body further, Lanel may leave of those who stand in the way of making this future. Ceryl to continue his work elsewhere.

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Lanel Gozca Physique

PHY 6

Speed SPD 6 Strength STR 7 Agility

AGL 4

Prowess

PRW 5

Poise

POI 4

Arcane aRC — PER 4

Mechanikal Fist

MAT POW P+S 7 1 8 Double Strike: During the character’s activation, the character can spend 1 feat point to perform an additional melee attack with this weapon.

’Jack Wrench MAT POW P+S 7 4

11

Abilities: On a critical hit, a living target has a chance to be knocked out by the attack. If the target suffers damage from the attack, he must make a PHY roll against a target number of 15. If the target succeeds, he stays conscious. If the target fails, he is knocked out.

Initiative

Init 15

Defense

DEF 13

(Armored Great Coat –1) Armor ARM 11 (Armored Great Coat +5) Willpower

1

A

2

GI

LI

Wil 9

TY

EC INTELL

YSIQUE

6

Anatomical Precision – When this character hits a living target with a melee attack but the damage roll fails to exceed the target’s ARM, the target suffers d3 damage points instead of the damage rolled.

Name

Stat Rank Stat + Rank

Detection PER 1 Disguise PER 2 Hand Weapon PRW 2 Lore (Cyriss) INT 1 Mech. Engineering INT 2 Sneak AGL 2 Streetwise PER 2 Tracking PER 1 Unarmed Combat PRW 2

5 6 7 4 5 6 6 5 7

Feat Points – This character starts each encounter with 2 feat points. He is allocated 1 feat point at the start of each of his turns. He can only have up to 2 feat points at a time. Gremlin’s Touch – The character can spend a full action studying a construct character. For the remainder of the encounter, the character rolls an additional die on damage rolls. Discard the low die in each roll. Lost in the Crowd – The character can spend a feat point while in a crowd to instantly vanish. The Game Master should determine where the character escapes to. Using this ability effectively removes the character from an encounter. Even if he decides to double back, it should take minutes rather than rounds for the character to make his return. Prowl – The character is virtually invisible while in the shadows or in terrain that grants a degree of concealment. The character gains stealth while within terrain that provides concealment, the AOE of a spell that provides concealment, or the AOE of a cloud effect.

3 T

PH

Skills:

Backstab – This character gains an additional die on his back strike damage rolls.

Intellect INT 3 Perception

Abilities:

4

5

Command Range: 3 Base Size: Small Encounter Points: 9 Equipment: Armored great coat, disguise (ragged clothes), mechanik’s toolkit, handmade symbol of faith (Cyriss), surgical kit

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®

The Llaelese Resistance in the Iron Kingdoms RolePlaying Game By Tim Simpson • Art by Mike Capprotti, Hardy Fowler, and Kiri Østergaard Leonard In the time since Llael was invaded and conquered, a small and beleaguered group of freedom fighters have made it their goal to restore Llael to its former glory. This group has been named the Llaelese Resistance, and they have fought the Khadoran Empire tooth and nail, struggling for what seems like a distant dream as time drags on. Limited in resources, manpower, and reliable intelligence, the Resistance is a great backdrop for an ongoing campaign. A heroic group of PCs fighting against the seemingly indestructible forces of the Khadoran occupiers is a great catalyst for a story of struggle and loss. Working with what few assets they have at their disposal, Llaelese Resistance characters must use their every trick and tool if they hope to one day see their land united again.

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Structure and Leadership The strength of the Llaelese Resistance is decentralized and scattered. In the southeast of what is now called Free Llael, the city of Rhydden was transformed into a true bastion for the Resistance. Immediately following the Khadoran defeat of Llael’s forces and subsequent occupation of the nation, Rhydden was walled off and fortified. Most of the Resistance’s important troops, arms, and logistics are based here, including the leadership of the Resistance Council. Duke Gregore Delryv IV, a middle-aged Llaelese noble, is the current leader of the Resistance Council. He undertook the task of transforming Rhydden into the fortress garrison it is today. He is the keystone of the Council, but he must rely on other council members who have greater practical military experience, such as Fynch di Lamysn, senior gun mage of the Loyal Order of the Amethyst Rose, and warcaster Marshal Ashylnn d’Elyse. Others make up the council as well, including several commanders of the Cygnaran Army who have remained behind to help the Llaelese against their Khadoran enemies. Duke Delryv IV maintains the defense of Rhydden and negotiates the mercenary contracts needed to protect the territory the Resistance does hold.

Resistance Cells The Backbone of the Resistance

While the Resistance does have some resources—warjacks, artillery, and elite forces such as Amethyst Rose gun mages and warcasters— they are highly prized and used only in major military campaigns. The Resistance does not have the finances to use these assets for every battle. Their loss would be a major blow to the Resistance and a great victory for the Khadoran Empire. Due to this strain on resources and military might, the Resistance has to make use of small cells made up of people who are loyal to Llael and willing to do what is necessary to restore their kingdom and drive out the Khadoran occupiers. Members of these Resistance cells come from all walks of life, generally from within the Llaelese population. Cygnaran soldiers, however, are not uncommon within Resistance cells. Even trollkin, ogrun, and gobbers who have been maltreated by the occupiers have joined the cause. The drive to fight Khador has turned many civilians into a deadly and expert insurgent force. Resistance cells often comprise between three and eight members. Larger groups risk discovery by the enemy and have an increased potential for security leaks, so in the smaller towns scattered across occupied Llael, it is common to have only a single active cell. In occupied cities such as Llaedry, Elsinberg, and Merywyn, multiple

cells might be simultaneously active, although they work unaware of each other’s operations. This is done to preserve each cell’s existence and to limit potential intelligence should Khadoran forces manage to capture Resistance members. If an entire cell falls, it cannot divulge the membership of the city’s other cells, even when faced with the cruelest interrogation techniques. The most experienced member of a cell is generally in command. This leader commonly has a single point of contact to relay gathered intelligence to the greater Resistance in Free Llael. This can make communications through the chain of command unreliable and intermittent at best. Delays in communication force Resistance cells to rely on their own judgment when it comes to dealing with the enemy and planning operations against them. Due to the scarcity of reliable military resources, members of a cell have to depend on their ingenuity, willpower, and guile to overcome Khadoran forces. Even a small platoon of Khadoran Winter Guard can be a formidable force for an independent Resistance cell to overcome. A member of a cell might have a pistol or rifle, but they will have to scrounge, often off the enemy dead, to maintain a reasonable cache of blasting powder for their own use. Alchemy, while not uncommon, requires alchemists to stretch their capabilities. Even the most common alchemical ingredients can be difficult to procure; occupying forces actively restrict and survey the sale and use of compounds that could be used against them. This results in less than optimal brews and mixtures, as well as longer creation times. This scarcity of resources, however, can result in the creation and exploration of new alchemical options.

Other Resistance Groups within the Iron Kingdoms While this article is intended for characters working within the Llaelese Resistance, the rules and concepts here can be applied to other kinds of resistance campaigns with only slight adjustments. Vinter Raelthorne IV has his own agents buried deep within Cygnar, including the nobility and the standing armies, which could make for an interesting variant of a resistance campaign. Another option could revolve around the characters all being worshipers of Thamar and their sept, working to survive persecution from Morrowan and Menite authorities. The wilds of the Iron Kingdoms offer similar options as well. Members of the trollkin kriels who betrayed Hoarluk Doomshaper are a great example of a resistance cell outside of the Iron Kingdoms proper. The options here can be adapted to fit all manner of character backgrounds, but a Game Master should work with the player group to make sure the idea is one that everyone can work with.

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Mechanika is not something commonplace among members of a Resistance cell. It is difficult to acquire, can be expensive to maintain, and stands out as something Khadoran patrols might notice as being out of place. As a result, the Resistance is hard pressed to obtain and maintain what they currently have and use.

Resistance Safe Houses Hideout(s) of the Heroes

Safe houses are the bedrock of a budding Resistance cell. They are where the characters live, hide, and plan their attacks against the enemy. Part home and part base, a safe house has to be innocuous to the naked eye. They are secure locations where the characters will spend their limited downtime without drawing the attention of Khadoran spies and informants. Safe houses can be as simple as a single room with a special entrance that is blocked off from the rest of the residence, or they can be an elaborate setup that is as much as trap as it is a place for the characters to hang their cloaks. In the smaller townships within Occupied Llael, locals who are not an active part of the Resistance provide most safe houses. A local farmer can provide simple shelter in the form of a hand-dug storm cellar or even an empty horse stall. Not every safe house is a place to live. Sometimes they provide just enough security for a brief rest, a small meal, and enough time to sharpen your blades and reload your firearms. These simpler safe houses are the most common but are also the easiest for Khadoran patrols to discover. Things become more complicated in major cities. Most civilians are too afraid to offer their dwellings as safe houses out of concern for their families. There are, however, some brave souls who have modified their homes to provide a place to hide agents of the Resistance. Common modifications include secret rooms built behind false walls, chambers dug beneath cellar floors, and converted attics concealed by hinged bookcases. Most include quick escape routes in case of discovery, letting the Resistance members flee in the event of a raid. With the surge of reconstruction within Occupied Llael, it can be difficult for Khadoran patrols to single out suspicious activities from true rebuilding efforts. Some of the more rugged Resistance cells have even taken to creating safe houses within the ruined and burned-out buildings that Khadoran forces damaged during the war. These dilapidated structures are scattered throughout Llael and can be abandoned by Resistance members at a moment’s notice without ever placing civilians in danger. The Resistance Council goes to great pains to maintain safe houses throughout Occupied Llael. Once one is established, supplies and munitions are smuggled to the location along with a

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stipend for non-Resistance members who own the property. Even when a Resistance cell is killed or taken captive, its safe house continues to be a valuable commodity to Resistance fighters in the occupied territory. For fighters unable to scrounge munitions from the enemy or to purchase them through illicit dealers, the caches of armor, ammunition, and weapons found in safe houses can mean life or death.

What Does a Safe House Actually Provide? As part of a Resistance campaign or Adventuring Company, like the Heroes of the Resistance (Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game: Kings, Nations, and Gods, p. 240), a safe house is an essential piece of equipment or gear for the player characters. As such, a safe house should provide the following: • A hidden entrance and emergency exit • Food and lodging for the characters • Various changes of clothing (for instance, noble finery, stolen Winter Guard uniforms, common workman’s clothing) • Tools to maintain gear At the Game Master’s discretion, a cache of blasting powder, casings, and bullets for 20 light rounds The Game Master needs to determine the contents of the safe house and the quality of the included items. For instance, “Tools to maintain gear” doesn’t necessarily mean a full alchemical lab or mechanik’s workshop but more likely whetstones to sharpen blades and kits to clean firearms. Food may be simple hardtack and dried meats as opposed to a fine meal and wine to wash it down. The Game Master should work with the characters to design the safe house in order to minimize any issues that could pull players out of the story.

Llaelese Resistance Career Options The options available to Llaelese Resistance characters are described below. A player can choose to use as many career options as he wishes during character creation and can take some or all of the options his character meets the requirements for.

Exiled Noble (Aristocrat) An Exiled Noble is one of the few remaining nobles left alive after the Llaelese War. Either through luck, submission, or treason, this character has survived when the Khadoran Empire removed most of the other nobility in Llael. Now, the Exiled Noble has a chance to strike back at his would-be oppressors. Only a human character can be an Exiled Noble.

A character taking this option:

• Starts the game with the Parry ability but does not start with the Privilege ability. • Starts the game with the Feat: Vendetta archetype benefit, ignoring the prerequisites, but does not start with the Aristocrat’s monthly 50 gc. • Adds Streetwise 4 to the Aristocrat’s list of potential Occupational skills.

Resistance Saboteur (Alchemist) The Resistance Saboteur is a powerful tool within the Llaelese Resistance. These agents are masters of explosives, using blasting powder and alchemical explosives to deliver death and destruction to the Khadoran Empire. Recruited for their natural aptitude with explosives and their eagerness to fight the invaders, saboteurs are well equipped to make Khador pay a heavy price for occupying Llael. A character taking this option:

• Starts the game with the Fire in the Hole! ability but does not start with the Poison Resistance ability. • Starts the game with 25 gc, grenadier’s bandolier, 5 explosive grenades, and 1 large alchemical bomb with a clockwork detonator instead of the Alchemist’s starting assets. • Adds Night Fighter to the Alchemist’s list of potential career abilities. • Adds Connections: Llaelese Resistance to Alchemist’s list of potential career connections.

the

Resistance Sleeper Agent (Spy) A Resistance Sleeper Agent is a deep cover spy who was recently activated to help the cause of the Llaelese Resistance. These agents have been living under their cover identities so long that they may have nearly forgotten who they were before. Now, the Llaelese Resistance has called on them to use their abilities and cover to strike a blow against their enemies. A character taking this option:

• Starts the game with the Conniver ability but does not start with the Battle Plan: Shadow ability. • Starts the game with Connections: Khadoran Military and Connections: Llaelese Resistance but does not start the game with Connections (intelligence network). • Begins the game with the Feat: Perfect Plot Intellectual archetype benefit, ignoring the prerequisites.

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New Adventuring Companies The Lost Company Cygnar lost many soldiers during the Llaelese War, but not all perished. Numerous troops were stuck behind enemy lines as the war turned against Llael and Cygnar. Others could not bear the thought of leaving their Llaelese brothers-in-arms to face the Khadoran occupation alone. The characters of the Lost Company are all members of the Cygnaran military who were either left behind in Llael or stayed of their own volition. Some might be trying to get home or back to their posts, and a few just want to make Khador pay in blood. Requirements: Each member of the company must have at least one of the following careers: Arcane Tempest Gun Mage, Rifleman, Stormblade, Stormguard, Stormsmith, Trencher, or Trencher Commando. The players in the group should designate one member of the company to be the leader of the Lost Company. This player effectively has the Cygnaran Military rank of lieutenant and all other members of the company defer to his or her command. The lieutenant then designates a sergeant within the company. Benefits: The characters in the company start with a safe house in which to hide and store gear. Each character created for the company gains one additional skill level in one of the following occupational skills: Deception, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Negotiation, Sneak, Streetwise, Survival, or Tracking. Additionally, the lieutenant starts the game with Connections: Llaelese Resistance.

Resistance Saboteurs The characters are members of the Llaelese Resistance who specialize in sabotaging the enemy in any way possible. They could be a group of common folk who have taken up the fight against the enemies of Llael, most notably the Khadoran Empire and the Northern Crusade, or members of a trained military unit who set out to destroy critical enemy resources. The group takes every opportunity to destroy infrastructure, weapons, warjacks, general supplies, or even troops. These characters are fanatical in their devotion to the cause; they will disobey orders or sacrifice their own lives if it damages or sets back the enemies of the Resistance. Requirements: Resistance Saboteurs can be of any background, assuming they are committed to fighting their enemies at every turn, no matter how dire the circumstances. The characters in the group should designate one human Llaelese member to be the leader of the saboteur team. In addition to leading the team, this character often chooses their next target and works with the team to determine the best method to destroy the target. The leader also has a contact that is the group’s connection to the greater Llaelese Resistance. This contact may solely provide information and communications

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from other members of the Resistance but may also provide targets for the team to strike should the team take orders directly from the Resistance Council. Additionally, the players should designate another member to be the second-in-command in case the leader is captured or executed. Benefits: The saboteur team begins the game with a cache of explosives as well as access to a full alchemical lab. Explosives can be any mixture of standard grenades, alchemical grenades, or alchemical explosives worth up to 200 gc. The cache is restocked once per month or prior to the team receiving a target from the Resistance Council. The alchemical lab and explosives cache are not necessarily part of the characters’ current safe house. If the team is affiliated with the Resistance Council, they should regularly receive assignments to destroy targets within Occupied Llael. As they become more successful, not only will they receive increasingly difficult targets but Khadoran occupiers will also begin to actively search for them. Additionally, each character created as a member of the team gains one additional skill level of the Thrown Weapon or Mechanikal Engineering skill.

Sleeper Cell The characters are members of a newly activated sleeper cell of the Llaelese Resistance. A sleeper cell is one that has been planning an attack and stockpiling supplies but has yet to strike against the enemies of Free Llael. Many members of sleeper cells may not know one another until the cell activates and receives its first assignment. A sleeper cell is a clandestine group of individuals looking to make Khador pay for its crimes against Llael. Requirements: Members of a sleeper cell can be of any background since they are drawn from all walks of life. The players in the group should designate one human Llaelese member of the group to be the leader of the sleeper cell. This character will have the most contact with the leadership of the Llaelese Resistance. Additionally, the players should designate another member to be the second-incommand should the leader be captured or executed. Benefits: The adventuring company begins with a meager safe house to start. Furthermore, each member of the sleeper cell gains an additional 100 gc that can be pooled with the other members of the company. This additional starting gold must be spent on the following: non-mechanikal arms and armor, ammunition, nonmechanikal gear, clothing in the form of disguises, equipment, mounts and riding equipment, or food and drink. This reflects the resources that were gathered by each member of the cell before they were activated and called to duty. Players should work with their Game Master to determine acceptable purchases for the sleeper cell. For instance, it might not be fitting to have a sleeper cell start with a magelock pistol or rifle if there are no gun mages in the adventuring company. In addition, each character created as a part of the company gains an additional rank in one of the following skills: Bribery, Cryptography, Deception, Disguise, Escape Artist, Seduction, or Streetwise.

Resistance Gear and Tactics Alchemy Exploding Ink Cost: 39 gc per well of ink and treated quill Description: Creative alchemists working for the Llaelese Resistance came up with the idea of sabotaging an officer’s inkwell to explode. By alchemically treating both the quill and ink, the quill acts as a detonator for the altered ink, creating a highly volatile and unstable explosive. Loud and messy, these devices killed several key Khadoran officers in the early days of the occupation. While the Khadoran Empire has caught on to such tactics, these are still popular within the Llaelese Resistance against lower-ranking officers and soldiers. Special Rules: When a character touches the tip of the pen or quill to the altered ink, the explosive reaction begins. Characters within 6 feet (1˝) of the exploding inkwell must make an Agility (AGL) roll against a target number of 15 or immediately suffer a POW 14 damage roll. Characters who fail the AGL roll are also knocked down. Brewing Requirements: Alchemy Ingredients: 1 unit of alchemical stone, 1 unit of alchemical waste (liquid), 2 units of mineral crystal, 2 units of organic acid, 1 fountain pen and inkwell Total Material Cost: 13 gc Alchemical Formula: Brewing the explosive ink requires an alchemy lab and two hours of labor spent combining, cooking, and stabilizing the ingredients. At the end of this time, the alchemist makes an INT + Alchemy roll against a target number of 16. If the roll succeeds, the character creates one well of Explosive Ink. If the roll fails, he creates two units of alchemical waste (liquid).

Communication Methods Street Code Description: While fighting within the extreme confines of a city, the Llaelese Resistance developed a new method of communicating with one another and channeling information to scattered Resistance cells. Based on the way certain gangs mark their territories within cities, the Resistance created a code of its own to guide its teams. Agents use chalk or paint to casually make markings on building walls and street corners. This language, called street code, is based on a series of marks, and each one has a specific meaning.

target number of 14 to correctly interpret the meaning. If the roll succeeds, the character correctly reads the message and interprets the data. If the roll fails, the character misinterprets one or more of the markings and has incorrect information or may not understand it at all. A character can also choose to take street code as a new language, at which point the character no longer needs to roll to understand such messages.

Gear Heavy-Duty Armored Great Coat Cost: 85 gc SPD Modifier: –1 DEF Modifier: –1 ARM Modifier: +7 Description: This heavily modified great coat is reinforced to hold armor plates between layers of cloth panels. This armor covers most of the body, except the head, hands, and feet. Designed to help Resistance agents withstand small-arms fire from Winter Guard blunderbusses, this armored coat is heavy enough to slow the wearer down but provides significant protection. Special Rules: None.

Poison Bullet Cost: 100 gc per round Description: This specialty ammunition is designed to make sure a target dies, even if the initial shot is not lethal. As the ammunition is created, the slug is carefully coated in several specific poisons, creating an extremely expensive yet effective assassination tool. Manufacturing such a bullet is difficult because only a few people in all of Llael know how to make these rounds, and they are often members of the Order of the Golden Crucible who remained following the occupation. The Resistance has obtained a handful of these rounds but has yet to use them in the field. Special Rules: When a poisoned bullet damages a living character, the character is immediately affected by the poisons used in its manufacture. During each of the character’s Maintenance Phases, the affected character must make a PHY roll against a target number of 16. Outside of combat, the character must make this roll every 10 minutes. If the character succeeds, nothing happens. If the character fails, his PHY is immediately reduced by 1. If the character’s PHY is reduced to 0 due to the poisoned bullet, he dies. If a character succeeds on three PHY rolls, the poison has run its course and no longer affects the character. The character recovers PHY lost as a result of the poison bullet at a rate of one point per two hours of rest.

Special Rules: Characters who have been taught to read street code may make an Intellect + Cryptography roll against a

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Traps

The following traps use the rules for traps presented in Iron Kingdoms Unleashed.

Door Trap Description: To construct a door trap, a Resistance agent rigs a door so that when it opens, a secured container or spring-loaded trap above the door opens and delivers its payload to the victim below. Common contents are acid, explosives, Menoth’s Fury, and, in more gruesome traps, heavy spikes or weights. Special Rules: When this trap is triggered, the character in the doorway must make a Detection roll against a target number of 14. If the roll succeeds, the character detects the trap and is able to dodge it. If the roll fails, the character immediately suffers the full effect of the trap. The payload is used to determine the effect, but common examples are:

• Acid: The character suffers a POW 12 acid damage roll and the Corrosion continuous effect. • Menoth’s Fury: The character suffers a POW 12 fire damage roll and the Fire continuous effect. • Spiked or bladed object: The character suffers a POW 14 damage roll. • Weights: The character suffers a POW 12 damage roll and is knocked down. A character disabled by this trap automatically suffers the Concussed injury table effect. Visibility Modifier: Characters roll one less die on Detection skill rolls to spot this trap. Construction Requirements: Payload, a door with a handle or knob, and 15–25 feet of rope. Construction: Preparing a door trap requires at least ten minutes of labor. At the end of this time, the character must make an INT + Survival skill roll or an INT + Rope Use skill roll, whichever is higher, against a target number of 14. If the roll succeeds, the character sets the trap. If the roll fails, the door trap triggers prematurely, and the character must immediately make an AGL roll against a target number of 12. If the roll succeeds, the character avoids the trap. If the roll fails, the character immediately suffers the effects of the trap.

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Warjack Upgrades Timberjack Arm Cost: 200 gc per arm Type: Melee Location: Arms Attack Modifier: –1 POW: 5 Description: Designed to hold and split logs, timberjack arms are used by many logging companies in the Iron Kingdoms. Due to their use in a primarily civilian role, timberjack arms arouse little suspicion from Khadoran patrols. The Llaelese Resistance uses these arms to outfit laborjacks to fight enemy warjacks and potentially shear off their arms and legs. Special Rules: A steamjack with a timberjack arm counts as having an open fist. When activated, the log splitter adds +2 to damage rolls against the target model. On a critical hit with this weapon, fill in the unmarked damage boxes or circles on the last column or branch damaged. Mounting timberjack arms on a steamjack chassis requires the mechanik to first remove the steamjack’s old arm and replace it with the logger arm. (See “Removing or Replacing Arms” in the Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game Core Rules, pp. 319–320). Paying to have an arm system removed and a timberjack arm mounted in its place costs an additional 60 gc unless the character does the job himself.

Power Diverter Cost: 150 gc (light steamjack) Description: Crafty mechaniks within the Llaelese Resistance have created systems for their light steamjacks to stand a chance of damaging the heavy warjacks favored by the Khadoran Empire. Rerouting steam power from the ’jack’s legs to its arms grants a steamjack a temporary increase in strength. Special Rules: Once per encounter, a ’jack marshal or warcaster can use a quick action to activate the power diverter. For the rest of the encounter, the light steamjack suffers –2 SPD and gains +4

STR. Once the encounter is over, a mechanik needs to spend two hours repairing and tuning the converter before the ability can be used again. The diverter is part of the movement system and does not function if the steamjack’s movement system is crippled. Installing the diverter on a steamjack chassis requires the proper tools, two hours of labor, and a successful INT + Mechanikal Engineering roll against a target number of 12. If the roll fails, it can be repeated after another hour of labor. Paying to have an arm system removed and an oversized arm mounted in its place costs an additional 60 gc unless the character does the job himself.

False Arm Cowling Cost: 60 gc Description: Designed to look like a standard laborjack arm, this cowling covers and conceals a light steamjack ranged weapon mounted on a heavy warjack chassis. Built to pass close inspection, a heavy warjack arm is hollowed out to make space

for the weapon, leaving an inoperable limb. Firing the weapon destroys the cowling but does not damage the ranged weapon. Special Rules: The cowling completely covers a light steamjack ranged weapon, concealing it from sight. A heavy steamjack using the false arm cowling can only mount a light steamjack ranged weapon, despite not normally being able to do so. To discern the cowling from a normal steamjack arm, a character must make an INT + Mechanikal Engineering roll against a target number of 14. If the roll succeeds, the character notices something out of the ordinary. If the roll fails, the character notices nothing unusual about the arm. Mounting a false arm cowling on a steamjack’s arm requires the proper tools, three hours of labor, and a successful INT + Mechanikal Engineering roll against a target number of 13. If the roll fails, it can be repeated after another hour of labor. Paying to have a weapon cowling mounted on a steamjack costs an additional 20 gc.

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QUICK SHOT SCENARIO ®

By Orrin Grey • Art by Hardy fowler, Imaginary friends studios, David Kuo, Raphael Lübke, Susan Luo, And Andrea Uderzo “As you all know, Koldun Ambroz Grishka is more than a thorn in the side of the Resistance; he is, in many ways, our nemesis. He has captured our operatives, killed our soldiers, and organized initiatives that set the cause back by months if not years. In spite of the best efforts of our most gifted spies, he seems to be one step ahead of us at every turn. Our every attempt to capture or eliminate him has been met not merely with failure but utter defeat. In short, he is one of the greatest enemies to our noble cause alive today, and we cannot touch him. His security is unassailable, and he is guarded at all times by the best soldiers that the military might of the Khadoran Empire has seen fit to station in our fair lands. “Guarded, I say, at all times…until now. Some of you may already be aware that one of our best operatives was recently captured by a Khadoran patrol near the border and is currently being held in the garrison at Bomarza. As we speak, Grishka is headed to Bomarza to personally collect the prisoner. If our comrade winds up in his hands, rest assured that she will be tortured into

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giving up whatever information he can wring from her about our operations. I have no doubt that she will do her utmost to protect the Resistance and may even die before letting slip so much as a single secret, but I know of the cruelty and insidiousness of Grishka’s methods. “That’s the bad news. Here is the good: In his haste to reach Bomarza and take possession of our operative, Grishka is traveling with only a small entourage and without his customary security detail. What we need is a crack team that can infiltrate Khadoran-held lands and reach Bomarza at the same time as Grishka and his group, striking while his guard is down. Not only will we be putting a stop to one of the greatest threats to the cause of freedom but, with any luck, we can also save the life and secure the liberty of our brave comrade.” —Lord Gervyn Morosini, addressing members of the Resistance at a secret location in Free Llael

Players Be Warned!

Once Upon a Time in Khadoran-Occupied Llael is an adventure for the Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game, and what follows are detailed descriptions of the adventure and all of its encounters, enemies, perils, and rewards. So unless you’re the GM, don’t read any further unless you want to spoil all the fun for yourself!

Quick shot scenarios are short adventure scenarios for use with the Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game and Iron Kingdoms Unleashed Roleplaying Game. Each quick shot is designed with flexible locales, simple and compelling hooks, and conclusions that can inspire or provide the foundation for further adventures in western Immoren and the Iron Kingdoms. Once Upon a Time in Khadoran-Occupied Llael is a starting adventure designed for five Hero-level characters between 15 and 24 XP. Characters should either be members of the Llaelese Resistance or willing to undertake an incredibly dangerous mission for their cause (and coin). Career options and the Adventuring Companies found on pages 93–94 are ideal choices for this adventure.

For the Game Master

As a high-ranking Greylord of the Prikaz Chancellery, Koldun Ambroz Grishka is a major figure in the Khadoran occupation of Llael and a significant foe of the Llaelese Resistance. Seeing his role as one of counter-intelligence, Grishka has set himself up as a kind of spymaster, meeting the covert operations of the Resistance with counter-moves of his own. In repeated clashes, he has shown that he is ready to do whatever it takes to crush the Resistance once and for all, even going so far as to sacrifice strategically important Khadoran resources in order to ensure a greater victory down the road. His efforts have led to the capture, torture, and death of countless Resistance operatives and have foiled dozens of major Resistance operations. To date, his cunning has only been matched by his caution, and he has remained too well insulated for Resistance agents to mount a successful mission to either kill or capture him. Both overt attacks and more devious assassination attempts have been met with failure and led to the death or capture of valuable Resistance operatives. The recent capture of Erynn D’Glaeys, one of the Resistance’s best agents in the region, has lured him out of his usual web of security, however. For the Resistance, this presents a double incentive. If Grishka gets his hands on D’Glaeys, there is little doubt that he would be able to extract information from her that would prove disastrous to ongoing operations. While she has been trained to withstand torture and her loyalty to the Resistance is indisputable, Grishka’s methods are infamous. There are few secrets that could survive his ministrations.

Moreover, the Resistance would have no way of knowing for certain what information D’Glaeys had given up, meaning entire operations might have to be scrapped and valuable assets would need to be pulled out of the field. But rescuing D’Glaeys is of secondary importance to the Resistance. They see this as possibly their only opportunity to get a clear shot at Grishka. Removing him from the equation would be worth the cost of more than one of their best operatives if it were necessary, and there is little doubt that D’Glaeys would agree. Unbeknownst to the decision-makers in the Resistance, however, Grishka is counting on exactly that. He has not, as their intelligence has led them to believe, embarked on this journey without his usual protections out of a sense of urgency to bring D’Glaeys under his “care.” Instead, he is using the opportunity to set a trap for the Resistance in the hope that they will throw valuable resources toward the task of killing or capturing him—resources he can then remove or capture himself. While Grishka’s enemies believe they are springing their trap for him, he has actually set a trap of his own. He is simply waiting for them to walk into it.

Getting the Players Involved

Once Upon a Time in Khadoran-Occupied Llael is intended for players whose characters are members of the Llaelese Resistance, sympathetic to the cause, or willing to put their lives on the line in exchange for Resistance coin. While the Resistance has few illusions about the likelihood of survival for the team they send to attack Grishka, they are also well aware of the sensitive nature of the operation. As such, they won’t send just any sell-swords but only agents they know they can trust. Whatever the characters’ relationship to the cause, they can be approached by contacts they’ve already established within the Resistance who will ask or order them—depending on the nature of their relationship—to undertake the dangerous and potentially suicidal mission of capturing or killing Grishka during this narrow window of opportunity. Whoever recruits the characters into the plot will also underscore the vital importance of removing Grishka from the equation, whatever the cost. Grishka’s continued presence is putting a severe strain on Resistance operations, and if he is able to interrogate D’Glaeys, he will be able to strike against the Resistance even more effectively. Rescuing D’Glaeys is an important, but secondary, part of the characters’ mission. They will also be told that capturing Grishka would be optimal, allowing the Resistance to turn the tables and extract valuable intelligence from the Greylord himself. Capturing Grishka, however, may not be feasible. The characters are encouraged to do whatever they have to in order to eliminate him as a threat once and for all.

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Chapter One: papers, please

The town of Bomarza, where Erynn D’Glaeys is being held, is across the border and well into Khadoran-occupied Llael. This means the first challenge the characters face is crossing into Khadoran-occupied lands and getting through the heavily guarded and patrolled borders. Depending on how they choose to cross, this could involve challenges and dangers such as finding transport, acquiring forged documents, and avoiding or bluffing their way past Khadoran patrols. Below are three methods the characters might use to make their way undetected across the border and into Khadoran-controlled territory.

Method One: Join a Mercenary Company Soldiers in the Khadoran military are the primary enforcers of the Khadoran occupation, but increased Resistance activities and battles on other fronts have stretched the resources of the Motherland thinner and thinner, increasing the need for foreign mercenaries willing to work for Khadoran coin. If the characters are already members of an established mercenary company, they could possibly convince the Khadoran powers-that-be of their willingness to sell their swords to the Motherland by using skills like Bribery, Deception, or Negotiation against a target number of 15. If the characters have established contacts within the Khadoran military, or they have a lot of coin to throw toward bribing an officer, adjust the target number as needed. Alternatively, the characters could attempt to join a mercenary company that is already crossing the border, but doing so would require the characters to convince the mercenaries of their sincerity. Harboring Resistance insurgents leads to more dire repercussions than just a contract revocation—the best-case scenario often being a Khadoran firing squad. The mercenary company of Black Jenett

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Murdoch is crossing into occupied Llael at the same time the characters need to, and the characters may be able to join Murdoch’s Marauders with a successful Deception or Bribery roll against a target number of 14. Word has it that Murdoch can be easily distracted with flirtatious behavior, so a character who is so inclined might be able to get into her good graces with a Seduction roll against a target number of 13. Characters who either convince the Khadorans of the legitimacy of their mercenary employment or join Murdoch’s Marauders can travel through occupied Llael without issue, though they may be delayed at the intermittent checkpoint by bored Winter Guard checking their mercenary contracts (see “Enemy Territory,” p. 101).

Method Two: Board a Riverboat While the Khadoran occupation gets the majority of its supplies directly from the Motherland, authorized riverboats still ply the length of the Black River carrying passengers and provisions. These vessels are often subject to boarding and frequent inspections by the Khadoran military, but they remain one of the best ways to get across the river to the Khadoran border. The Bodger’s Wrench, a riverboat captained by a gobber named Mo Grimes, mostly carries laborjack parts up and down the river. Characters could book passage for 20 gc, but in order to get across the border, they would need to acquire forged documents, which could be obtained in Free Llael for 14  gc with a Streetwise roll against a target number of 13, or created with a Forgery roll against a target number of 15. Alternatively, characters could attempt to stow away in the cargo hold. Getting on board isn’t too difficult—it only requires a Sneak roll against a target number of 12—but avoiding detection during the crossing may be tougher. When the Bodger’s Wrench lands on the Khadoran-controlled side of the Black River at the town of Pwyltref, it immediately faces an inspection. If the characters got on board with forged documents, this

will require a Deception or a Disguise roll against a target number of 13 in order to bluff their way past questioning. If the characters stowed away, another Sneak roll will be required, this time to avoid the PER + Detection roll of the Winter Guard patrol. If the characters are caught during the inspection, they’ll have to defeat the Winter Guard patrol and then beat a hasty retreat before reinforcements arrive, by either attempting to vanish into the town of Pwylfref or by possibly jumping overboard and swimming to shore to escape the guardsmen.

Method Three: Go Your Own Way Not trusting their luck with either a legitimate riverboat or a mercenary company, the characters could instead attempt to cross into occupied Llael on their own at some lightly patrolled point. If they do so, their first challenge is to get across the Black River. Even particularly athletic characters couldn’t reasonably swim the width of the broad river in full combat gear, and even if they could, they would have to leave any warjacks or less athletic characters behind at the mercy of armed patrols along the river’s banks. Fortunately, besides the authorized riverboats that ply the waters of the Black River, smaller boats frequently make the crossing under the cover of darkness to smuggle illicit goods to and from the Khadoran border. A successful Bribery, Intimidation, or Negotiation roll against a target number of 13 can secure the services of Braddick Thern, who will ferry the PCs across in the small boat he uses to smuggle munitions. Once they reach the other side, however, they’ll still need to slip by the patrols that regularly guard the river’s edge. A successful Sneak roll against the PER + Detection roll of the Winter Guard patrol will see them safely into Khadoran territory. If the characters are caught trying to sneak ashore, they’ll have to defeat a Winter Guard patrol and beat a hasty retreat before reinforcements arrive.

Enemy Territory Whatever method the characters undertake to get across the river, they will still need to make their way through enemy-controlled territory to reach the town of Bomarza, which is three days’ travel on foot from the border. If they have forged documents or are traveling with a mercenary company, they can safely travel the roads, though they’ll still have to bluff their way past a number of Khadoran checkpoints along the way. In order to maintain the charade under questioning, the characters will need to make Deception rolls against a target number of 12 at each Khadoran checkpoint. If they don’t have forged documents and aren’t traveling as mercenaries, the characters will be forced to avoid the main roads and travel overland, which could require a successful Navigation roll to see if they arrive as planned and avoid delays and other hazards en route, as well as the occasional Sneak roll to avoid Winter Guard patrols.

Winter Guard Patrol (5 Winter Guard & 1 Sergeant) Skills: Name Stat + Rank Total Hand Weapon 4 1 5 Rifle 4 2 5 Detection 3 2 5

Physique

Abilities:

PHY 5

Speed SPD 6

Fast Reload – The character gains one extra quick action each turn that can only be used to reload a ranged weapon.

Strength STR 5 Agility

AGL 4

Prowess

PRW 4

Poise

Leader – Friendly Winter Guard gain +1 on attack and damage rolls with within 5˝ of this character (Sergeant only).

POI 4

Intellect INT 3 Arcane aRC – Perception

PER 3

Blunderbuss

rat Rng AOE POW 5 8 — 12

Axe

MAT POW P+S 5 3 8 INITIATIVE

INIT 13

DEFENSE

DEF 11

(Infantry armor –2) ARMOR

ARM 12

(Infantry armor +7) WILLPOWER

WILL 8

Vitality: 7 Command Range: 3 Base Size: Small Encounter Points: 5

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Winter Guard Patrols From the time they cross the river until they reach Bomarza, the characters risk running afoul of Winter Guard patrols that monitor the riverbanks, roadways, and countryside of Khadoran-occupied Llael. A failed roll during a checkpoint could engender suspicions about the characters’ true identities, or an encounter with a patrol in the countryside could end in an exchange of shots or blows. Even if the characters survive the initial skirmish, an encounter with the Winter Guard could blow their cover, expose them to further attacks, or detain them long enough that they might miss their window of opportunity for striking at Grishka, so the characters should avoid detection as much as possible.

As the characters approach the town, read the following aloud:

The hilltop on which Bomarza stands is crowned by a large, square building. It is built of stones that might have once been lovely but are now stained with soot and neglect. Once a Llaelese stronghold belonging to the nobleman Jean D’Lynyse, the fort has been converted by the Khadorans into a garrison with the winding streets of the town scattered at its feet. According to your intelligence, Erynn D’Glaeys is being held in the old dungeons beneath the fort along with a handful of other prisoners.

As you make your way into town, you can see the buildings around you are more likely to stand empty than not. Khadoran soldiers patrol If they are forced to fight their way out of a situation, the characters the streets, and only the empty gaze of vacant windows and the will need to vacate the premises immediately. Khadoran forces in fearful glances of the townspeople dare to meet your stare. occupied Llael are tightly connected and reinforcements will no doubt be arriving shortly. Winter Guard patrols are usually made up of 5 Winter Guard privats led by a sergeant. The previous page includes a sample patrol, but feel free to add in different armaments such as military rifles, grenades, rocket tubes, or grapeshot ammo for blunderbusses for more variety.

Dressing as the Enemy

In the event that the characters are forced into a conflict with a Winter Guard patrol, they might get the bright idea to swipe some of their uniforms and try passing as Winter Guard. This would only potentially work if all of the characters are human and don’t have any warjacks or other dead giveaways. Should the characters attempt such a charade, however, they’ll face an uphill battle to make the ploy work. Many Khadoran patrols in occupied Llael are highly regimented and carefully monitored, and chances are the characters may not know the proper jargon to make the impersonation work. A character without Connections (Khadoran Military) attempting to successfully pass as Winter Guard long enough to reach Bomarza requires both Disguise and Deception rolls against a target number of 16. The character must attempt this roll once per day for the three days it takes to reach Bomarza.

Chapter Two: Khadoran Night in Bomarza

Built in the shadow of an old Llaelese fort, the town of Bomarza has suffered under the Khadoran occupations, and now more of the old stone buildings that flank the town’s winding streets stand empty rather than occupied. The Khadoran occupation has converted the fort into a garrison currently staffed by a few dozen Winter Guard soldiers. The old dungeons below the fort have been returned to service and now hold prisoners of war like Erynn D’Glaeys until they can be transferred to more secure facilities.

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Once the characters arrive safely in Bomarza, their dangers are far from over. Though not nearly as heavily fortified as larger Khadoran holdings in occupied Llael, the town is still home to a garrison of Winter Guard that has increased its presence in the streets and squares of Bomarza in anticipation of Grishka’s visit. During the day, the people of Bomarza are free to go about their business as they please, though even then they are subject to frequent stops by Winter Guard patrols. The Winter Guard is likely to stop anyone who looks suspicious or draws attention to themselves. Since the PCs are new to Bomarza, they are likely to arouse suspicion. Avoiding the Winter Guard completely requires contested Sneak or Streetwise rolls against the PER + Detection rolls of the Winter Guard,

while bluffing through an inspection will require a Deception roll against a target number of 10. The town is also under a strict curfew, and anyone caught outside after dusk had better have a very good explanation for their movements lest they be subject to immediate arrest by the Winter Guard. Once inside Bomarza, the characters have been instructed to locate their contact within the town and establish a safe house to act as a base of operations. Locating the contact without drawing attention requires the PCs to each make a successful Streetwise roll against a target number of 12. Failure may simply mean an inspection by a Winter Guard patrol, which gives the characters another opportunity to bluff their way out of trouble with a successful Deception roll against a target number of 10. The characters have been given a code phrase to identify their contact within Bomarza. They are to approach and say, “The winter has been hard.” To which their contact will reply, “Spring will be here soon.” Below are three NPCs who could act as the characters’ contact within Bomarza: • Vasko Szetka: An Umbrean lieutenant in the Winter Guard stationed at the garrison secretly working for the Resistance as a double agent. By all outward appearances, Vasko is a crudely pragmatic man who smokes repugnant cigars, but he is actually an idealist who strongly believes in the cause of freedom and has risked much to betray the Motherland. He can help the characters secure weapons and armor within Bomarza, although his access to ammo is highly restricted. He can also supply them with a basic map of the garrison and information on when and where Winter Guard patrols will be throughout the town. • Conlyth D’Bray: A deposed member of Llaelese nobility and the rightful heir to the stronghold of Bomarza who has gone into hiding by pretending to be a farmer in the surrounding countryside. His real surname is D’Lynyse, and he can supply the characters with detailed maps of the town and the fort, including secret areas unknown to the Khadorans, though he knows nothing of the activities of the Khadoran troops within the Bomarza. He tries to avoid anything that might draw attention to him. • Andrea Pescar: A duelist of Ordic descent who has lived in Llael all her life. Caught on the wrong side of the border by the Khadoran occupation, she makes her living as a gun for hire and keeps her sympathies to the Resistance a closely guarded secret. She can supply the characters with access to ammunition as well as information about the rotation of the guards within the dungeon beneath the garrison. While their contact will supply the characters with intelligence and some equipment, maintaining their cover requires that they avoid being seen with the characters whenever possible and precludes them from becoming involved in any physical altercations. Their contact will also help the characters find a safe house somewhere in the city. Below are a few sample locations that would be suitable choices for a safe house: • The Rose and Thorn – Formerly one of the better watering holes in Bomarza, it was closed after the proprietor was arrested for suspected collusion with the Resistance. There are rooms upstairs that offer a vantage point of the marketplace, and the tavern below is still stocked with spirits if not food. It

is not large enough to accommodate warjacks, however, and its position in the middle of town makes it difficult to come and go unnoticed. • Turnok’s Mill – A grain mill on the edge of town that was built alongside a stream that flows from a spring in the hillside. It belonged to an ogrun miller who also used it as a storage space to hide stolen alchemical components as part of the smuggling work that he did on the side, so it is full of secret compartments. The mill is too far off the beaten path to offer much of a vantage of the comings and goings in Bomarza. • Gedrick’s Forge – An abandoned blacksmith shop near the entrance to town that once belonged to a Rhulic engineer. The shop affords poor visibility of the surrounding area but has the advantage of a partially stocked metalworking shop, as well as stalls large enough to hold and repair steamjacks.

Making Their Escape While planning their strike against Grishka, the characters may also turn their thoughts toward how they’re going to beat their retreat once their objective is achieved. This becomes even more important—and even more difficult—if they do manage to successfully take Grishka captive. Fortunately, there are several things in the vicinity of the garrison that enterprising characters can use to create diversions to distract the Winter Guard long enough for a clean getaway…at least in theory. The following are a list of sample diversions, some tied to specific contacts within Bomarza. Feel free to adjust these according to how your adventure is going or to include different options thought up by particularly crafty players.

Prison Break If the characters can slip into the prison beneath the garrison, they can work with the prisoners—who are almost all Resistance operatives— to stage a prison break at an appropriate moment. A successful Sneak or Disguise roll against a target number of 14 will get the PCs past the guards, while a Lock Picking roll against a target number of 12 will open the locks. The prisoners recognize the importance of the characters’ mission in Bomarza and will wait to make their move until after the characters have killed or captured Grishka. Liberating the prisoners also benefits the Resistance at large. If Erynn D’Glaeys and a small group of other operatives are freed, she will help them resume operations against the Khadorans in Bomarza even after the PCs escape. All characters who participate in the prison break gain an additional experience point upon completion of the adventure.

Ammo Cache Vasko Szetka or Andrea Pescar can direct the characters to an ammo cache that’s kept in the lower levels of the garrison. Then, all the characters have to do is slip in with a successful Sneak roll against a target number of 12, and they can rig the cache to blow. A successful Alchemy roll against a target number of 14 can set a delayed reaction that will detonate the ammo cache after a delay of d3+3 minutes. The resulting explosion will blow a hole in the garrison wall, and the Winter Guard will be too busy putting out fires and rescuing their comrades from the rubble to mount an effective pursuit.

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Light It Up Conlyth D’Bray knows of several buildings around Bomarza that could burn down without doing undue damage to the lives or livelihoods of the villagers. By arranging to have fires set around town, the characters could distract and scatter the Winter Guard long enough to slip out of the area. Getting all the fires to light at once is the trick, and D’Bray will vouch for several local youths who can set the fires once the attack on Grishka commences in order to distract his soldiers. Securing their services will require a successful Bribery or Negotiation roll against a target number of 13. Unfortunately, none of these distractions will work until after the attack on Grishka is already underway. If the distractions are sprung too early, Grishka will realize that something is awry and alter his plans or fail to make an appearance, causing the characters to miss their chance to strike. Distractions can be set up in advance to ensure they draw attention long enough for the characters to make their escape.

Chapter Three: Operation Whiteout

Grishka has kept the specifics of his movements within the city secret from everyone outside his personal bodyguards—even the soldiers in the garrison aren’t certain of much besides his arrival time— but the characters know he is going to take charge of the prisoner and address the soldiers responsible for her capture in the square out in front of the main gates of the garrison. This area was once a marketplace when Bomarza was still a free city, but under the Khadoran occupation, it has become known as Prisoner’s Square. Sometimes, prisoners of war that are held in the garrison are disciplined here in sight of the populace, while at other times, the Winter Guard use the area for exercises. Empty market stalls and vacant storefronts look onto the square, and the Khadoran Army has stored various barrels and crates at the edges. For Grishka’s visit though, the central area has been cleared and a wooden podium has been assembled. If the characters made good time to Bomarza, they should arrive about two days before Grishka, giving the characters plenty of opportunity to scout the area and make their plans.

The Complication On the last evening before the characters plan to mount their assault, something goes terribly wrong, compromising their plans and forcing their hand. While this complication should seem like a perfectly normal hazard of espionage, Grishka has actually carefully orchestrated it in order to maneuver the characters into attacking at a time and place of his choosing. Pick or randomly determine one of the following complications from the list below.

Complication roll

effect

1-2

Captured! The characters receive word from a trusted runner that the Winter Guard captured their contact in Bomarza. With no way to know how much information the Khadorans were able to extract from their new prisoner, the characters must assume their plans and identities have been compromised.

3-4

Raided! Somehow the Khadorans got word that Resistance activities are taking place in the characters’ safe house, and the Winter Guard stages a midnight raid. The characters receive just enough warning to get out before the soldiers arrive, but they may have to leave behind some of their equipment.

5-6

Identified! Someone in town recognized the characters and reported them to the authorities. Their cover is blown, and now the Winter Guard patrols are actively looking for them. If characters encounter Winter Guard soldiers, they’ll either have to run, fight, or be captured.

Whichever complication arises, it should upset any plans that the characters have made and force them to strike at Grishka as soon as he arrives in Prisoner’s Square the following morning. The characters will endure a stressful night spent avoiding heightened Winter Guard security, and Grishka will arrive with the dawn. What they don’t know is that Grishka’s trap will already be in place and waiting for them.

Chapter Four: Revenge of the Greylord

At this point, the characters are finally in place to launch their assault against Grishka and his entourage. As the dawn colors the sky, Grishka marches into Prisoner’s Square at the head of a small column of soldiers. Read or paraphrase the following aloud:

With the dawn rising above the old Llaelese fort, the quiet of the morning is broken by the sound of heavy boots on cobblestones as Grishka and his troops march into Prisoner’s Square. In spite of everything that has happened, for a moment it feels that your mission may be a success after all. Grishka walks proudly at the head of a token column of men, his lieutenant at his side. Grishka appears to be unarmed, carrying only a long map case. Now is your moment to strike. Quickly, before the soldiers in the garrison come out to meet the Greylord. Prisoner’s Square is roughly 80 feet long by 80 feet wide, ringed with tall buildings and shops on all sides. A raised platform 18 feet on a side has been erected at its center. Grishka and his guard march directly to the platform at the center of Prisoner’s Square to address the soldiers. Grishka’s entourage consists of himself, his lieutenant Yurik Zarov, and six Winter Guard. A Detection roll against a target number of 17 may give the characters some warning of what’s to come. Two

104

Quick Shot scenario

warjacks are lying in wait in the square on the north side of the square, one in the back of a wagon covered by a tarp and hidden behind some barrels and another in an unused mechanik’s shop. Within the storefronts that surround the square are four Doom Reavers, one on each side of the square, chained and waiting to be turned loose upon enemies at Grishka’s command. Four more Winter Guard soldiers wait in the wings along with the Doom Reavers to release them from their chains. The additional Winter Guard will unleash the Doom Reavers at Grishka’s command and then follow them into battle. Hero Level Combat Encounter Adversaries: Koldun Ambroz Grishka, Kapitan Yurik Zarov, 6 Winter Guard, 4 Doom Reavers, 2 Rager warjacks Unless the characters make a successful Detection roll to spot the traps, it appears that Grishka and Yurik are accompanied by only 6 Winter Guard. As soon as the characters make their move, however, Grishka springs his trap. He uses his first turn to open the map case he carries to reveal the Orgoth Staff concealed within. At that signal, the hidden Winter Guard release the Doom Reavers, who burst forth from the storefronts and charge directly toward any characters within 24 feet of Grishka.

String ’em Along

If the PCs must fight all the antagonists present at once, there’s a strong chance they’ll be overwhelmed. Grishka, Yurik, and the Doom Reavers alone can be a challenge for the players. Adding in the Winter Guard and Rager warjacks can be overwhelming for groups that are not focused on combat. To help, consider splitting this encounter into two smaller waves: the first wave has the Ragers and Doom Reavers attacking as a surprise initial push, followed by the second with Yurik and the Winter Guard protecting Grishka.

Yurik uses his first turn to reach the nearest warjack and fire it up. The Ragers were left in a state of readiness, so only a quick action is required to bring them to full power. Unengaged Winter Guard can also fire up one or both of the warjacks, though Yurik is the only ’jack marshal present. The Winter Guard are on hand mostly to provide supporting fire to Grishka, Yurik, and the Doom Reavers and warjacks. As such, they hold back as much as possible and fire at any of the characters to whom they have a clear line of sight. Yurik primarily acts as a ’jack marshal in the battle, letting his ’jacks do the fighting for him, though he is more than capable of holding his own in melee combat and will readily place himself in harm’s way in order to defend Grishka. Grishka attempts to avoid directly engaging in combat for as long as possible, instead relying on spells to aid his soldiers or strike down the characters. The Orgoth Staff protects him from the Doom Reavers and allows him to give them orders, and he directs their battle fury toward the characters. Characters with Lore (Arcane), Lore (Orgoth), or Lore (Khador) may make a roll against a target number of 12 to learn that Grishka’s Orgoth Staff is what allows him to control the Doom Reavers. Without it, they are likely to turn on Grishka and his soldiers. The characters have 5 turns to incapacitate or kill Grishka before reinforcements begin to pour into Prisoner’s Square. After that, Winter Guard from the garrison arrive in the square at a rate of 4 Winter Guard per turn. If the characters have already established distractions before the encounter, the distractions begin after the fifth turn and delay the Winter Guard reinforcements by d3 turns.

Quick shot scenario

105

Rager Warjacks

Built on the Berserker chassis, the Rager is inclined toward fierce overprotectiveness and will throw itself at any perceived threat to its master without hesitation. It is for this reason that many of Khador’s warcasters, particularly the veterans, still find a place for the aging warjack in their battlegroups, but they keep the machine at arm’s length given its increasing tendency toward destructive overloads. The Rager was designed with a heavy shield cannon of the sort used by Man-O-War Shocktroopers, lending the ’jack the means for a strong defense without depriving it of a second weapon. Rather than hacking into the enemy with reckless abandon, the Rager employs a more measured fighting style, making careful use of its sword and shield.

Doom Reavers Skills: Name Stat + Rank Total Great Weapon 5 2 7

Physique

PHY 6

Speed SPD 5 Strength STR 6 Agility

AGL 4

Prowess

PRW 5

Poise

POI 2

Intellect INT 3 Physique

PHY 10

Speed SPD 4 Strength STR 11 Agility

AGL 5

Prowess

PRW 4

Poise

POI 2

Intellect INT 2 Arcane aRC – Perception

PER 2

Shield Cannon

rat Rng AOE POW 3 8 — 15

Shield MAT 5

POW P+S 1 12

Abilities: A steamjack armed with a shield gains +2  ARM against attacks originating in its front arc

Gladius MAT 5

POW P+S 4 15

INITIATIVE

INIT 10

DEFENSE

DEF 11

ARMOR

ARM 18

WILLPOWER

WILL ­—

1 2 3 4 5 6



L R



L L M C R R



M M

C

Command Range: ­— Base Size: Large

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Quick Shot scenario

Abilities:

Arcane aRC –

Aggressive – This character can run or charge without spending focus or being forced.

Perception

Chain Attack: Brutality – If a steamjack fighting with two melee hand weapons hits the same target with both of its initial attacks, after resolving the attacks, it can immediately make one head-butt power attack against that character. A steamjack with a crippled weapon system cannot make a chain attack. Shield Guard – Once per turn when a friendly character is directly hit by an attack while within 2˝ of this character, this character can choose to be directly hit instead. This character cannot use Shield Guard if he is incorporeal, knocked down, prone, or stationary. Unstable – At the end of any activation in which this character spent 1 or more focus points, roll a d6. If the roll is equal to or less than the number of focus points spent, this character explodes and characters within 3˝ of it suffer an unboostable POW  14 blast damage roll. Remove this character from play.

PER 2

FellBlade MAT 7

POW P+S 6 12

Abilities: The fellblade has Reach and is a magical weapon.

Initiative

Init 13

Defense

DEF 11

(Custom Battle Armor –1) Armor ARM 12 (Custom battle armor +6) Willpower

Wil 9

Vitality: 10 Command Range: 2 Base Size: Small Encounter Points: 6

Abilities:: Berserk – When this character incapacitates or destroys one or more other characters with a melee attack during his turn, immediately after the attack is resolved, he must make one additional melee attack against another character in his melee range. Fearless – The character is utterly fearless and automatically passes Willpower rolls to resist Terror. Mighty – This character gains an additional die on melee damage rolls. Fellblade – Doom Reavers cannot be targeted by spells. Terror [13] – This character has Terror [13].

PHY 6

Speed SPD 6 Strength STR 5 Agility

AGL 3

Prowess

PRW 5

Poise

POI 3

Intellect INT 4 Arcane aRC Perception

PER 3

Shield

MAT POW P+S 7 1 6 Abilities: The character gains +2 ARM against attacks originating in his front arc.

Skills:

Blasting Pike (Blasting Head)

Name Stat + Rank Total Command 4 2 6 Great Weapon 5 2 7

MAT 7

POW P+S 7 12

Abilities: The Blasting Pike is a Reach weapon. On a critical hit, the target is knocked down. Blasting Pike (Spear Head)

MAT POW P+S 7 4 9 Abilities: The Blasting Pike is a Reach weapon. When used with a non-blasting spearhead, the Blasting Pike loses the critical knockdown effect.

Initiative

Init 14

Defense

DEF 10



(Full Plate –2)

Abilities: ’Jack Marshal – The character is skilled at instructing steamjacks to act. Defensive Line – While this character is B2B with one or more friendly characters, he gains +1 ARM. Drive: Ancillary Attack – The character can make a quick action to use Drive: Ancillary attack on a steamjack he controls. The steamjack immediately makes one normal melee or ranged attack. Fast Rearm (Blasting Pike) – The character gains one extra quick action each turn that can be used only to rearm a weapon of the type noted. Feat Points – Yurik starts each encounter with 1 feat point. He is allocated 1 feat point at the start of his turns. He can have up to 1 feat point at a time. Load Bearing – The character is well practiced at fighting while wearing heavy armor. Reduce the SPD and DEF penalties from the armor the character wears each by 1 (included). Righteous Anger – When one or more characters who are friendly to this character are damaged by an enemy attack while in this character’s command range, this character gains +2  STR and ARM for one round.

Armor ARM 14

(Full Plate +8)

Willpower

Wil 10

2

1

AGILITY PHYS

3 ECT

IQ

4 6

LL

U

E

5

TE

Pulled from the ranks of the Iron Fangs and hand-selected by Grishka, Kapitan Yurik Zarov has been Grishka’s strong right hand for years and is unfailingly loyal to the Greylord. He was chosen not only for his combat prowess and untiring service to the Motherland but also for his skills as a ’jack marshal, a talent that Grishka felt could be put to better use in his employ. Dressed in Iron Fang armor that has been marked with symbols denoting his special rank, Yurik is willing to follow any order that Grishka gives him without question—no matter how vicious—and will sleep well at night knowing he has done his duty.

Physique

I

N

KAPITAN YURIK ZAROV

Command Range: 6 Base Size: Small Encounter Points: 10 Equipment: Blasting Pike (w/ 10 blasting heads and 1 spear head), Iron Fang full plate, shield

Quick shot scenario

107

Physique

PHY 5

Speed SPD 6 Strength STR 4 Agility

AGL 4

Prowess

PRW 5

Poise

POI 4

Intellect INT 5 Arcane aRC 4 Perception

PER 5

Orgoth Staff MAT 6

POW P+S 6 10

Abilities: The Orgoth Staff has Reach and is a magical weapon. While carrying the Orgoth Staff, Grishka cannot be targeted by spells and never suffers the effects of Terror. While carrying the Orgoth Staff, Grishka cannot be attacked by a character armed with a fellblade for any reason. Additionally, while within the command range of Grishka, any characters armed with fellblades gain the Tough archetype benefit and the Silence ability. Grishka can issue commands to any character armed with a fellblade within his command range by making a STR + Command roll against a target number equal to the fellblade bearer’s Willpower.

Abilities: Astute – The character can reroll failed Detection rolls. Each failed roll can be rerolled only once as a result of Astute. Combat Caster – When this character makes a magic attack roll, he gains an additional die. Discard the lowest die of each roll. Feat Points – Grishka starts each encounter with 3 feat points. He is allocated 1 feat point at the start of his turns. He can have up to 3 feat points at a time. Great Power – This character can upkeep one spell each turn without spending a focus point or gaining a fatigue point. Iron Will – The character can reroll failed Willpower rolls. Each roll can be rerolled only once as a result of Iron Will.

KOLDUN AMBROZ GRISHKA

Dressed in a fur-lined greatcoat over his armor, Koldun Ambroz Grishka is a slender man for a Khadoran, and his youthful features make it easy for both his enemies and his own comrades to underestimate him, a fact he uses to his own great advantage. His friendly demeanor conceals a deep capacity for cruelty. Grishka is a believer in Khador and the authority of the Prikaz Chancellery, and he feels that it is his solemn duty to do whatever must be done to protect the Motherland.

Skills: Name Stat + Rank Total Command 5 2 7 Detection 5 2 7 Great Weapon 5 2 7 Intimidation 5 2 7 Interrogation 5 2 7

Spells: name

COST RNG AOE POW UP OFF

Blizzard

1

6

—

— No No

Center a 3˝ AOE cloud effect on target character. The AOE remains centered on the character. If the target character is destroyed, remove the AOE from play. Blizzard lasts for one round.

Fog of War

3 SELF CTRL

— Yes No

Characters gain concealment while in the spellcaster’s control area.

Initiative

Init 16

Frostbite

Defense

DEF 14

Frostbite causes cold damage.



(Tailored Plate –1)

Armor ARM 12

(Tailored Plate +7)

Willpower

Wil 10

2

1

AGILITY PHYS

3 ECT

IQ

4

TE

5

I

N

6

LL

U

E

Command Range: 7 Base Size: Small Encounter Points: 12 Orgoth staff, tailored plate

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Quick Shot scenario

Protection from Cold Target character gains Immunity: Cold.

2 SP 8

—

12 No Yes

1

—

— Yes No

6

Conclusion

Grishka will not voluntarily surrender so long as he has any reinforcements from the garrison, so the characters will have to either incapacitate or kill him in order to end the battle. Once they do so, they will still need to beat a hasty retreat from Bomarza or risk a battle with all of the Khadoran soldiers stationed there. If the characters have already established distractions ahead of time, these may provide enough cover for them to slip out of town without mishap. If not, they may have to fight their way through d3 patrols of Winter Guard in order to get out of Bomarza. Once they’re in the countryside, they’ll still have to make their way back to the Black River and across the border. And if they’ve managed to capture Grishka, they’ll have to make the trip with an uncooperative and extremely intelligent prisoner who will take any opportunity to escape or to expose the characters to capture. Their escape from Khadoran-occupied Llael can be accomplished in the same way as they entered, with many of the same difficulties. Feel free to increase the target number of rolls according to the added dangers the characters face due to the heightened security in the aftermath of their successful attack. In addition to capturing or killing Grishka, the characters may wish to rescue Erynn D’Glaeys. If they do so, she can either travel with them back to free Llael or make her own way back to the Resistance to be debriefed. D’Glaeys is a skilled spy, and once she’s out of prison, she should have no trouble making it across the border on her own. If she accompanies the characters, they may be able to rely on her expertise to make contacts or to provide assistance when making Bribery, Deception, and Disguise rolls. D’Glaeys’ stat + skill total in those skills is 7. When the characters return to free Llael, they will find the powersthat-be within the Resistance are extremely grateful for their success—especially if they managed to capture Grishka rather than kill him. Besides any monetary compensation that they were promised, characters who successfully complete this mission gain Connections (Resistance) if they didn’t already have it. If the characters left Yurik alive but managed to capture or kill Grishka, they will find they have made an enemy for life. Yurik will devote all his energy to rescuing or avenging his former master and can act as a hook for future adventures and encounters.

EXPERIENCE With their mission in Bomarza complete, the characters gain the following experience. Play Award: Each character gains 1 XP for participating in the adventure. Conditional Awards: If the PCs freed Erynn D’Glaeys and at least two other prisoners, each character gains 1 XP. If the PCs killed Grishka, each character gains 1 XP. If the PCs captured Grishka alive, each character gains 2 XP.

Quick shot scenario

109

Player Gallery

No Quarter #64 challenged you to paint and submit your best warriors who battle beyond death for their sovereigns, their countries, or themselves. Erik Swinson struck twice with his Deneghra and Zaal entries. Not to be outdone, Rafal Maj and John Meeks submitted some of their best work, as well. Here are the judges’ top picks.

Gold Rafal Maj Fantastic, moody light-sourcing on a very sharp diorama base. This display is excellence in execution.

Gold Erik Swinson Look at this model! Great contrast, smooth blends, a strong color palette, and that amazing base make this model an easy pick for gold.

110

player gallery

Silver: John Meeks The Harbinger looks positively radiant in her warm, lifelike tones. This beautiful display piece really exemplifies the painting challenge—the Harbinger looks like she has transcended death, and the chains that ground her are the only things that keep her from shooting into the heavens.

Silver: Erik Swinson Erik struck again with this colorful rendition of Zaal, with some sharp highlights and some convincing glow effects. Nice work!

Player Gallery

111

NO QUARTER

PAINTING CHALLENGE The No Quarter Painting Challenge encompasses a single theme and broadens the challenge to include all Privateer Press models within that theme. Simply paint your model, take a few publication-quality digital photos of it, and send those photos to us. (See No Quarter #53 for photography guidelines.) Once we receive your pictures, Studio Director Ron Kruzie will judge your work by the same criteria used in the world-renowned Formula P3 Grandmaster Painting Competition held at Lock & Load GameFest and Gen Con each year. Models will be judged individually on their own merits. Top entries will be published here in the pages of No Quarter and awarded either gold or silver honors, and winners will receive an extremely limited-edition No Quarter Painting Challenge Coin, in gold or silver coloration, to proudly display alongside their model.

This issue’s theme:

Privateer Press Exclusive Skarre Ravenmane Bust For this very special painting challenge, we’re featuring the Privateer Press Exclusive Skarre Ravenmane Bust! Available at AdeptiCon and the Privateer Press Online Store (store.privateerpress.com) from March 31 to April 3 only, this large-scale painter’s dream offers enthusiasts an opportunity to show their painting prowess like never before. Show us your best headshot of the Satyxis queen. The thrill of victory, the accolades of your peers, and a shot at a No Quarter Painting Challenge Coin await you! To submit your entry: Read the submission guidelines at privateerpress.com/no-quarter/no-quarter-challenges Fill out a submission form Email submission form and digital photographs of your model to [email protected]

ENTRI ES DUE BY

april 24, 2016

BLACK RIVER IRREGULARS EXPANSION COMING SOON!

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