Orcs in the Webbe

The chief finished his story and gazed into the flames of the fire in the centre of the tent. The young Logann sat at the Chief's feet, eyes wide at the tale he had heard. The story had filled him with awe and wonder. Soon it would be the Wynter Solstice and having come of age this year, he could go forth and craft his own prayer stick. Hopefully the denizens of the forest would not be much trouble, he had proven himself as a warrior many times but even the most experienced of Logann were not guaranteed returning from the ritual.

Scenario Objectives

The Logann

Scenario Forces

I recommend you create your own Logann to undergo the Wynter Solstice ritual using the rules in the Frontear rulebook, alternatively you can choose one of the characters below. If you find the scenario too easy you could try it again with a less experienced character.

Voice Like Thunder [Veteran Logann] 52 Points
Warbow, Tomahawke
Skill: Elven Movement
Skill: Elvish Speed
Skill: Streete Fighting Orc
One of the more experienced Logann, Voice Like Thunder has seen the tribe undergo many changes. He believes peace can be made with the greenskins.

Three Fingers [Experienced Logann] 42 Points
Warbow, Tomahawke
Skill: Elven Movement
Skill: Elvish Speed
Having suffered at the hands of the first settlers who arrived Three Fingers is wary of the strange peoples who arrive by the great water.

Pawnee Killer [Experienced Logann] 42 Points
Warbow, Tomahawke
Skill: Elven Movement
Skill: Elvish Speed
A brave warrior, Pawnee Killer is the son of the chief of the tribe.

Touch the Sky [Average Logann] 32 Points
Warbow, Tomahawke
Magical Ability: Cloud Striker (Potent)
Skill: Healing Own Wound
One of the Logann's many shaman, Touch the Sky now struggles to maintain his powers now his link to the spirits has gone.

Yellow Thunder [Average Logann] 33 Points
Tomahawke, Logann Poison Smoker
Skill: Joccian Melee
Newly raised from a cub to warrior, Yellow Thunder has excelled and learnt much in a very short time. More of his type will be needed if the shaman's predictions of the settlers future actions are to be believed.

Set Up and Scenario Length

The forest is inhabited with all manner or fearsome creatures, for each player roll 1D10, there are that many denizens of the forest in play. Roll on the following table to see what the forest contains.

1-2 - Wild Boar

3-6 - 2 x Giant Spiders

7-8 - Bear

9 - Chimera/Manticore (50/50 Chance)

10 - Jabberwocky/Hippogriff (50/50 Chance)

Alternatively substitute the creatures above with miniatures from your collection and pick an action table from Wilde Things that you think suits that creature.

You should also place one Dodo for each Logann player too.

Randomly place each miniature throughout the forest, I used small 5mm dice dropped from above the table and placed one creature where each of the dice fell, any which went off table were dropped again.  Use a D4 to determine which direction they face (1 = North, 2 = East, 3 = South, 4 = West).

The Logann can start anywhere on the camp side of the river.

The scenario lasts until one of the Logann completes the ritual or after 15 turns when night falls and the Logann must retreat to the safety of their camp.

Victory Conditions

The Wynter Solstice ritual has several parts, each can be completed in any order (although 1a must be completed before 1b and obviously 4 must be completed last).

1a) The Logann must approach the biggest majestic cedar tree and spend one turn in base-to-base contact with it, during which they offer tobacco to the Spirit of the Tree asking permission to take some of it's relative. After this the Logann rolls 1D10 to determine which tree they feel a spiritual connection with (it could be the same tree).

1b) The Logann must then approach the tree they feel a connection with and spend one turn in base-to-base contact with it during which they remove some bark and fashion it into a prayer stick.

2) The Logann must obtain some feathers from a wild Dodo to add to thier prayer stick. A succesfull round of melee combat is enough to get the feathers, they do not have to kill the dodo.

3) The Logann must get some fur or bone from a denizen of the forest by killing it in combat (this must be something other than a dodo).

4) Last of all they must get back to camp safely where they apply the feathers and fur/bone to thier prayer stick and bury it.

Once a Logann has completed the ritual they are victorious. In a multi player game the Logann who returns to camp first is heralded as a hero and wins the scenario.

Special Rules

Spotting: All denizens of the forest start the game inactive. Every time a character moves anywhere within the front 90 degree arc of of a creature roll on the following table. If the roll is under the percentage shown below the creature becomes active. (I made a 90 degree template so I could easily see where the creatures could see, I also ruled that only the cedar tree's were big enough to block the creatures line of sight).

Stationary Standing Target 25%
Target in Woods -25%
Crawling/Prone Target 10%
Target in Scrub/Light Cover -10%
Walking Target 50%
Running Target 75%

Once a character has reached a position where he is eligible to roll on a successful sneak and declared that attack (see Stalking rules below) no further rolls are made for that creature, but any other creatures continue to roll during the turn of the attack to see if they notice the struggle (if they are in line of sight).

Denizens of the Forest: For moving the denizens of the forest I used Matthew Hartley's excellent Wilde Things rules, all of them are there with the exception of the Spiders, rules for which can be found below.

Stalking: On any turn any character which is within a single move of their intended target, and has enough movement distance remaining to close to contact they may roll on the table below. They have a base 50% chance of successfully moving up behind the target (into base to base contact) from cover, modified as follows:

Legend +30%
Veteran +20%
Experienced +10%
Average 0%

Moved less than 8cm 0%
Moved 8 to 16cm -10%
Moved 16cm plus -20%

Should the stalking roll be successful, you should immediately resolve a Hand-to-Hand combat, treating the stalked creature as being Attacked in the Rear and giving the attacker an extra +4 modifier as well.

Spider: Spiders, once activated, are not controlled by the players but by an action table, which determines the actions of the spider depending on the circumstances it faces. Each turn, immediately before the movement phase, one D6 roll is made on the relevant action table for each creature. The table columns are read from left to right. The result of the roll in the first relevant column applies. The column headings refer to both current events, or, in the case of the wounded column and shot at and fired at columns, events which happened on the previous turn. In all cases however, it is the first relevant column which is rolled on . For example, a spider with a enemy within charge range, which was fired at last turn would roll on the "shot at" column for this turns action, as this is the first relevant column. Similarly, a spider which was wounded last turn, but is currently in melee combat will roll on the first column ,"melee", for this turns action.

Any actions which are required by the table results occur in the relevant movement, firing, and melee phases as normal.

Any figure who is charged by a spider, must make a morale check as if charged by cavalry, but with a -2 modifier on the die roll.

Attack: Move at run speed towards nearest opponent and engage in melee.
Charge: Move at charge speed towards nearest opponent and engage in melee.
Halt: Make no movement, defend itself if in melee.
Flee: Move at half Charge speed away from opponents. If this is impossible then treat this result as an attack result.
Retreat: Move at 75% run speed away from nearest opponents. If this is impossible then treat the result as an attack result.
Prowl: Move in a randomly determined direction (roll d12 and use a clock face) at Prowl speed, fight if in melee.

Magical Ability: A character with a magical ability uses the rules as described in appendix two on pages 103-104 of the Frontear rulebook.

Skills: A character with a skill uses the rules as described in appendix one on pages 101-102 of the Frontear rulebook.

Scenario Notes

This scenario is an Orcs in the Webbe original and was first published here on the 21st December 2008 as part of the Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar 2008.

The rules for the spider's movement are adapted from Matthew Hartley's excellent Wilde Thinges rules for Flintloque/Dresda. The stalking rules are taken from a scenario written by Steve Blease and Mac Coxhead in the Dresda rulebook.

The inspiration for this scenario came from this website.

You can find out much more about Native Americans and their practices through any internet search engine.