"Lady Lightning and the Dragons"
A Flintloque Scenario by Gavin Syme
Atop a mountain in Central Urop the plot of the Dracci must be stopped by some Dwarves who have no idea what could occur if a female captive is given up to ancient magickes...
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She pulled and strained against the cold iron of the manacles and chains that held her against the stone. Her feet just reached the rocky ground and the rain stung her bare flesh. Blond hair was plastered to her face and chest and through gaps in it she watched the monsters pace in the weird purple green light. Beasts of blood red scaly skin with muscles harder than the iron that held her flexing each time they moved. They had teeth that looked so sharp and talons on their fingers and toes the same that the jade swords and spears they carried look almost not necessary. But it was their eyes that was truly terrifying. Black as the endless night but with a purpose burning in them that made her look away. Always look away. Time seemed distorted and she did not know how she came to be on top of the mountain. She had been in a place of green grass and blue sea. A tingle in her bones made her feel strange. Something was happening of that she was sure. But what?
Dracci moved gracefully about the plate flat top of the mountain in a pattern than left few places ever out of sight. The events here were vital to the effects of the Dragon Men in over throwing the Usurper Mordred and destroying his Power Ring and therein bringing back Wylde Magicke proper to Valon once more. Without the pure magicke Dracci were weak and could even be wished out of existence by the new gods of black powder and books. In mere hours this small band would put in place a beacon of magicke that would grant safety to thousands of warriors by its protective shimmer.
Off and away at the edge of the plateau a high mount of wet rocks blocked the prowling gaze of the Dragon Men and that was just as well for behind it sat huddled Dwarves, all silent, except for their officer. He was carefully looking around the rocks at the scene atop the mountain.
“Zo vhat do ve know of ze big lizards? Zey are not auf our Worlde and zat is fur sure. I cannot tell all of you vhat made me order ze soldaten up ze mountain but it is seeming zat it vas ze right choice to be made. Mine head ist ringing mit all der magicke here unt ze fraulin in irons needs to be brought zafe down ze hill. Unt ve might get some trophies fur der Baron eh!”
The Dwarf officer sat down next to the waiting troops. Water dripped from their tricornes but their muskets had their locks wrapped to keep out the damp. Good soldiers they were and luckily among them a scholar of the Darke Ages who had known not only of the feel of magicke in the raw but also knew the name Dracci. He knew the Elfish legends of the red scaled killers that had once stalked the world and he claimed that whatever they were planning they needed to be stopped by any means and soon. That combined with their officer's feeling of something awry on the mountain had brought them to this point.
“Ok Hanz. Ze lizards are sehr dangerous we know zat. But zay can be killed ja? Ve can bring zem down unt put ze boot in?”
One of the troopers nodded. The legends were sure of that fact. Fast, strong and lethal but mortal. Dracci could be killed by axe and by crossbow as in the old days so lead shotte would also serve the same purpose. Hopefully beyond the reach of those green stone blades that the Dracci carried with a worrying ease.
“Gut, gut. Zo. Ve march up to ze lizards unt give zem a volley or zwei. Then ze frauline unt back down ze hill. Easy unt Peezy.”
Kaptain Von Krass made it sound so simple and so within reach. So simple that these creatures of nightmares and times now gone would fall to musketry. So within reach that the chains holding the strange young woman would be broken and she would descend with them back down to the plain. The plain where armies marched and tussled and the whole Von Rotte Legion was arrayed against the scum of Krautia. Well if the captain believed he could beat the monsters and if the Baron Von Rotte believed he could see off the Dwarves of Krautia despite their greater numbers then perhaps it was possible.
“Now Soldaten. Let us go fur a valk in ze vind unt rain eh.”
As one the Dwarves stood and formed two lines before advancing into the wind which seemed to be gathering ever more force as if it saw the blood and murder that was all too soon to start.
The Scenario and Objectives
This is a scenario for two players but if you wish to play on your own then the bolt on solo play mechanics in the Flintloque game book will work just fine. The first player takes the part of Kaptain Bluer Von Krass of the Von Rotte Legion and the other player takes the roll of Xzil the Destroyer leader of the Dracci. The Dwarves must free the captive and then flee the mountain top while the Dracci must prevent this and all of them must beware the errie lightening storm that rages atop the mountain.
Kaptain Von Krass (Ferach Empire)
Use 5028 Flintloque 3rd Edition Beir & Bones to generate a section of twenty Dwarves. These are Von Rotte Line Infantry and are the typical series of experience levels armed with Dwarf Muskets MkII except for a Veteran Officer (Von Krass) armed with a Sword and Standard Pistol along with a Standard Bearer and a Drummer Musician. Skills, Traits and Flaws are assigned as normal as per the relevant rules. You may give three of the Dwarves one standard grenade each.
Xzil the Destroyer (Dracci)
Use the "Dracci in Flintloque" article on Orcs in the Webbe to create a section of nine Dracci. Two are Dracci Lords including Xzil and the other seven are Dracci Warriors. Arm them with Jade blades and spears they have no throwing weapons.
You can find the full rules for using the Dracci in your games of Flintloque 3rd Edition referenced above right here on Orcs in the Webbe.
Scenario & Map Setup
The playing area for this scenario is an odd shape being two feet wide and six feet long and has the terrain upon it as described. Lay out the playing area as per the instructions and add the forces as per the set up areas having your section rosters, dice and measuring tape and so forth ready to use. The playing area is the top of a mountain and is solid rock along with some scattered bushes and rocky outcrops (six to eight bushes and the same of outcrops). There is a single level hill four feet into the playing area which is twenty centimetres across and fifteen deep upon which the captive is chained to a stone post in its centre.
Von Krass and his section begin at the far narrow edge of the table from the hill and the Dracci begin within 20cm of the stone post on the hill. The Dwarves must be within 5cm of the table edge and 5cm of each other. Dracci may be anywhere in relation to each other as long as the post distance is obeyed. Play begins as normal with attention paid to the special rules for the scenario.
Scenario Objectives and Victory Conditions
This scenario has no limit in terms of length by number of elapsed turns. The game continues until the victory objectives of one side are met or play can no longer continue due to casualties on both sides. At the end of a turn in which a victory condition is met cease play and announce the winner of the scenario. Here are the objectives for all sides in the scenario:
Von Krass Section
Cross the mountain top, don't fall off or get struck by lightning, defeat the monsters and free the pale skinned female creature before escaping off the table edge you began upon.
Xzil the Destroyer Section
The magicke must proceed. Destroyed these lesser creatures before then completing the ceremony.
Special Rules for This Scenario
This scenario has a few unique conditions and rules which you should read and make use of in play.
The Mountain and Howling Wind: Having climbed up the side of this mighty pile of rock all of the characters in play are well aware that the slope is nearly a sheer drop. Any character who moves off the playing area for any reason will immediately be taken out of play having plunged to their doom. In the Initiative Phase of each turn roll 1D10 to determine wind direction (choose north as the Dwarf entrance side of the table). Results of 1-4 is North, 5-8 is South, 9 is West and 10 is East. Once rolled move every character who is not chained up 1D10 divided by 2 rounding up centimetres straight in that direction. Watch out for the edge!
Lightning Bolts: There is a magicke storm going on which is much more lightening than it is thunder or rain. Each turn in the Initiative Phase there is a chance of a lightning bolt hitting a character on each side (never the captive). Each player elects one member of their section of their choice (solo play choose least important or furthest from enemy character) and then both throw 1D10 each with the lower rolled result loosing. The loosing player's character then rolls as if struck by a Standard Blunderbuss a Short Range applying the result immediately before moving on.
Damp Powder: There is not a lot of rain around but the fear of the Dracci combined with the rain and the lightening bolts make the Dwarves a little jumpy. Every black powder weapon in play requires ONE additional load step when reloading. Meaning a Standard Musket will reload as if it were a Standard Rifle.
The Captive and the Post: There is a six foot stone post atop the hill and chained to it is a pale skinned female. She is a rare creature indeed on Valon for she is Human. That makes her valuable and powerful too and the Dracci mean to use her charged with magicke from the storm as a lightening rod to bring more of their fellows out of the shadows to challenge the Armorican Elves once more. The captive take no part in the game until freed. To free her it takes either three successful melee attacks or one successful ranged shot against the chains. There is no chance of hitting her. Once free she will make for the nearest Dwarf and stay with him within 5cm moving where he does. If he dies she will move to the next Dwarf but not towards a Dracci. She has the statistics of a Dwarf for this scenario. Dracci can capture her with a successful melee attack but this does not harm her and she can only be taken back by killing that Dracci. She cannot be taken off table by a Dracci and only off the Dwarf starting table edge by a Dwarf.
Solo Playing the Scenario
This scenario can be played solo with the player taking the part of Kaptain Krass and the silent solo player taking the part of Xzil the Destroyer and its section. Dracci are Defensive and will focus on preventing the captive being freed. If she is freed then they will switch to Aggressive and attempt at all costs to get her back.
Scenario Requirements
In order to use this scenario you will need some normal wargame equipment such as a playing area, terrain, dice and miniatures along with rosters, tokens and so on. In more precise terms the central needs for the scenario once the playing area is set up are as follows:
5028 Flintloque 3rd Edition – Beir and Bones game book
52514 Von Rotte Line
TOR1 The Whipping Post
Dracci from Alternative Armies High Fantasy Range
These miniatures provide all the characters needed for playing the scenario and of course they can be almost endlessly re-used for other adventures. All the above miniatures and packs are available now from Alternative Armies web store except the Dracci which should be requested by email at the time of going to print. If you are reading this in 2015 then check the Alternative Armies website.
Designer's Comments
Craig Andrews has his birthday in December and every year he is super keen to get me to pen him a new tale or scenario about his favourite miniatures and fantasy race The Dracci. I do my best and in late November 2014 I created this scenario and play tested it across a weekend. Its a little different to a typical scenario for several reasons. The first of which is the presence of a Human women which is a real rarity in Flintloque, in fact she is the first one I have put in an adventure in a decade. After this the presence of Dracci always means violence and they are ruddy dangerous in hand to hand fighting so watch out for that longer reloading time. Then there is the special rules for wind and lightening which make the game a little risky for both sides. I enjoyed writing this scenario and trying it out. Its totally possible for both sides to win but a lot depends on Dwarf musketry as bless them they aren't fast runners and the Dracci sure are. It was the first time the Alternative Armies studio set of Dracci was out of its box for over a year and again the work Bob Naismith did on them is nothing short of brilliant if you like Dragon Men. All the best for 2015! GBS
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Webmaster's Notes
An Orcs in the Webbe Original!
Gavin Syme is the creative manager of Alternative Armies and head of the World of Valon and Flintloque. Gavin has known of my love of the Dracci species for years and for my birthday most years he kindly puts something Dracci related together for me to read, enjoy and share with the readers of Orcs in the Webbe.
"Lady Lightning and the Dragons" was written exclusively for Orcs in the Webbe's 2014 Advent Calendar and was first published on Wednesday 18th December 2014.