Finders Keepers pt 1
This is the most current action report from the faction level 1e game we are playing. There are 4 player factions and 2 NPC factions.
The player factions were/are:
The Lord of the Keep on the Border - Lord Anton (F12) (KIA)
The Wizard of The Moving Tower - Theodan (Mu12)
The Wood Elves - King Adanis
The Orcish Horde, vanguard of the Witch King - Ozzbog the Crusher of Bones
The NPC Factions are:
The Dwarves of Durthol - Thrain Fireforge
The Grey Bridge Thieves Guild - Guildmaster: Voren “The Whisper” Thalric (Th7)
The orcs have so far managed to avoid contact with any of the other factions. They had successfully laid waste to the southern area of the elvish forest and to build 30 light catapults and 12 ballista using materials from the forest.
They amassed their forces and drove east to take the keep. The Lord of the keep, Lord Anton, had taken all his forces North West weeks ago to pursue the Thulbane Stone. Bandits quickly took residence.
The bandits had successfully warded off the Lord Antons remaining troops through numbers, but were unprepared for a siege from the orc horde and therefore scampered.
The orc horde were joined by 10 ogres (added by random encounters), sent by their dark lord far in the south.
The orcs liked their new home, and quickly realised the village of Ashby, not far to the north, was ripe for the pillaging. Roughly three quarters of their forces, 100 orcs and 165 goblins emptied out, including their siege weapons, to lay waste and enslave the village.
The timing was poor, as the wizard had brought his troops and dwarven allies south to assess and take the keep.
The Wizard’s forces:
Wizard (Mu12), Thorn (Wizard’s henchman, F7), Ainesly (Wizard’s henchmen, Mu6), 10 light cavalry, 10 men at arms, 10 archers, 50 dwarves and 5 dwarven leaders(F2, F2, F3, F3, F4).
The Orcish forces:
40 Orcs (Pig-nosed), 4 Leaders, 10 Ogres.
The dwarves had built a covered ram and 11 dwarves led the charge to the gate.
The few remaining orcs tried to light it the ram with fire arrows using the oil near the gates. Using the wood saves against fire, only one caught but was put out by a quick hit with a dwarven cape.
Not long after the orcish fire arrows begun pelting down an assailant on a polymorphed winged horse returned fire, shearing off the head of a few orcs. (Thorn F7).
A wall of fire consumed the ramparts above the gates. The wizard Theodan (Mu12) flying invisible on another polymorphed winged horse casting the fire wall down on them.
The orcish and ogre morale broke and they rushed to the other side of the keep.
— TBC —
We used the 1:10 1e battle rules as described by Jeffro. It took some time to figure out how to manage the fire arrows but otherwise ran smoothly. We use owlbear.rodeo and usually cap any sessions at 2 hours being family men.