Austin Powys - International Hobgoblin of Mystery in
"Dai Another Day"
A Flintloque Scenario by CJ Hooper
(With Apologies to Dylan Thomas)
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Austin Powys, International Hobgoblin of Mystery returns in this Flintloque scenario in which he must prevent Wheeling-Turn's secrets from falling into Ferach hands and save the life of a rival Albion Spy, Dai the Bread.
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It was a dark, dark morning as the baker’s coach rambled through the village and on towards the pass of Catalinus. The baker was welcomed in each village he passed as the smell of freshly baked bread aroused the sensory hairs of noses and watered the taste buds of the sleepy Catalucians. Welcomed along his daily route, the baker was left to travel peacefully. Occasionally an inexperienced Ferach patrol would stop and search his wagon, but they would find nothing but bread and buns. As usual, the best of his wares would be looted and the baker would be left with nothing but the mouldy bread at the bottom of the pile.
However, little did the stupid Ferach know, the Baker served an extra purpose - besides that of selling buns and loaves. The Master Baker was in fact a Master Spy and contained within his loaves were the coded messages from Wheeling-Turn to his exploring officers and his allies in the Catalucian resistance. The Baker was not daft though, he would coat some of his loaves in a coloured powder, green in fact, that would give them the appearance of being old and mouldy. But they were in fact fresh under this ugly falsely applied colour. The Master Baker’s name was, of course, Dai the Bread.
Dai hailed from Taffsea but had moved to Catalucia with his second wife, who was of Gypsy stock no less. His first wife had travelled with them as well, for none knew baking as well as she, save for Dai himself, of course. The three of them travelled together perfectly happy with their arrangement as they traversed along the mountain passes of Northern Catalucia, always returning to the Bakehouse at Zargoz, at the end of each day.
Sadly for the Hobgoblin baker, it was unfortunate that one day that the infamous Ferach Spy, ‘La Verre Au Voir’ came a’calling. He, upon discovering that both Dai the Bread and his Wives were in fact absent, ransacked the Bakery. The mould coloured powder was discovered, as were the vital code books. La Verre had not just been lucky though, oh no, he had been tipped off by someone. Sadly for him, by someone who didn’t know as much as they said they did as he had ‘dropped by’ when his quarry was not at home, that had not been the plan. The Ferach Spy knew his source was a good one though and surmised that Dai The Bread could not be too far away. He gave chase.
Enter our hero, for Austin Powys, International Hobgobin of Mystery, was in the bedroom of a wench that faced onto the Bakehouse. He knew of Dai the Bread’s function but as he was ‘known’ to Mrs Dai Bread Number 2 in a much more personal way he kept his distance. The two spies did not get on. Having seen the destruction of the Bakehouse from his wench’s window, Austin Powys knew it was his duty to give chase and to save the neck of his rival, Dai the Bread. He could have dispatched La Verre with a quick snap of the neck there and then but the way La Verre knew how to use the back entrance of the bakery, using the key from under the flower pot… Austin realised that someone had betrayed Dai. He needs to identify who it was that alerted the Ferach to Dai’s other duties. Austin, being a rather clever chap, has put two and two together – it must have been one of Dai’s wives…
Setup
There is no map for this scenario. Any gaming table will do, the game was playtested on a 3’x3’ skirmish board. Take turns to place terrain so that your table looks like a road through the Catalucian hills. The Catalinus Pass is rocky and provides a lot of cover. There should also be a ruined farm house somewhere along the road.
The Bakers’ Wagon starts the game in the centre of the table with a broken axle. Dai and his two wives are gathering loaves of green bread. Dai is an Experienced Elite Light Troop Hobgoblin, choose skills as per the standard rules for his experience level. His wives are both Experienced civilians one with a Standard Musket, the other with a Catalucian Blunderbuss.
As the adventure begins the Bakers espy La Verre and his D6 troopers as they cross the table edge. The troopers should be created using the standard rules. They are all armed with Ferach Elf Muskets and will shoot to kill Dai the Bread, but not his wives. It is known that one of his wives sought to help La Verre and that wife is to be spared, La Verre is a gentleman after all.
The Ferach have the advantage of numbers but must capture both the wives of Dai the Bread.
Austin Powys just wishes to kill La Verre and have the glory of gloating over Dai the Bread. It therefore stands that Dai the Bread must survive.
Special Rules
Austin Powys: After two turns Austin Powys will arrive on the scene from the same table edge as the Ferach troops. Austin is an Experienced Elite Light Troop Hobgoblin, choose skills as per the standard rules for his experience level. With him are two assistants who have joined him along the way. Grimleer, a grubby ex Sergeant from the Spanish resistance undertaking this one last mission (Experienced Guerilla armed with a Standard Musket) and a dancing girl with dreams of the stage once this war is over... Her name is Rabula Conundrum (Average Civilian armed with a dagger and a Standard Pistol).
The Wives: The Treacherous Wife will not reveal herself at the start of the game. Every time a wife is activated roll 1D6. A roll of one will indicate that the wife in question is the Ferach Spy ! Has Mrs Dai Bread Number 1 grown sick of her love rival and contacted the Ferach or has Mrs Dai Bread Number 2 become greedy for power and riches, not always wishing to be a Baker’s wife… Whichever it is, control of the traitor immediately passes to the Ferach player. Poor Dai the Bread must Die!
Dyed Bread: The bread starts the game in the hands of Dai the Bread. Anyone carrying the bread needs to drop it in order to fire. It takes a turn to gather up the bread once dropped. Whilst the player controlling the Taffsea spy and his wives do not need to pick up the bread, should these loaves be collected by the Ferach then there is a chance that a vital message may fall into Mordred’s hands!
When La Verre or a Ferach Trooper picks up the bread then roll a D6. A 1 or 2 indicates that this was a dummy loaf – but a 3,4 or 5 indicates that one of the captured loaves contains messages regarding Wheeling-Turns spy network. Whilst Dai may then go on to survive only a Minor Victory may be claimed if any Ferach escapes with this loaf. Even worse, a roll of a 6 means that a vital loaf has been taken and if it is taken off the table by the Ferach Mordred will get his hands on information that now jeopardises the entire war effort… oh dear.
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Webmaster's Note
An Orcs in the Webbe Original! "Dai Another Day" was written exclusively for Orcs in the Webbe's 2011 Advent Calendar and was first published on Friday 9th December 2011.