"Who Stole My Goul?"
A Flintloque Scenario by Karl Pajak
In which we meet Zelfar's Gypsee's as they attempt to release thirteen souls.
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Introduction
I like what is being done with Orcs. Craig is helping to keep the flag flying. I wanted to thank him for his work and efforts. To that end, I have allowed him to publish the following introduction to Zelfar’s Gypsees. It is part of what I hope to be the Tournament System for Flintloque. At this point, it is unofficial. Perhaps, if it is found worthy, it will one day become official. It is due for release next year. Without further ado, I bring you Zelfar’s Gypsees.
Zelfar’s Gypsee Marauders
White, soft, fluffy…it floated on the wind, traveling south. Passing over trees, rivers and grasslands, the snowflake drifted lazily on. Over the open plains and populated areas until, touching down on a young man in his teens, it alighted on the tip of Zelfar’s nose.
“Mom!” He exclaimed. “Look a snowflake, a sign of change!”
By then the snowflake had melted. Soon more followed. So multitudinous in number were they that it became hard to see. The temperature dropped rapidly, and with this, the first snowfall, the beginning of the Year of White was ushered in.
This, the coldest winter in history, hit the people of the land during the final years of the Necromancers. Many people died, some seemingly frozen in mid-step. The winter lasted for two years. In its wake, the land lay frozen and barren. Life seemed to have ceased for this cold and frozen wasteland. The large cities and the echoes of the dead were all that was left of this once great land. Then Mordred’s war came to the world.
The history of the Witchlands is murky and vague. Its history is told only in whispers, spoken by the few living survivors to have been lucky enough to escape the Witchlands. Zelfar was young during the final days of the Necromancers. He belonged to a traveling band of people who sought nothing but to live free. The handful of tribes like his became known as Gypsees. Zelfar’s Gypsees moved from place to place selling items to villagers and mending pots, putting on plays for local people, and working their ancestral healing magicks. They also trained in weapons and fighting styles, their swordsmanship superb, and almost unequaled in Valon.
When the Dracci Lords began their assault on the Necromancers the casualties not only included the living, but the dead as well. With the destruction of the Necromancers and the population’s demise, few living souls were hearty enough to escape the Star Wraith and his machinations. Zelfar’s cunningness and strength allowed him to become a leader to his people. He managed to keep his people alive during the early years of the Star Wraith’s reign, when the living were hunted. Gathering strength and power as he moved out and away from the Witchlands he eventually assembled, what were probably the only remaining living people of the land, to his band of Gypsees. This army became Zelfar’s Gypsee’s and they accept any who would adopt their ways. When black powder was released into the world, it was Zelfar himself who stole that knowledge. Bringing black powder weapons to his people gave them the ability to defend themselves in this new era. They seek to unhinge the Star Wraith and free their countrymen from his grasp.
Because most people see them as thieves they will probably never find a home, and so they wander the lands, singing their songs and enjoying life as it comes to them. Zelfar’s people continue to worship the old gods. Their witches have retained their magicke and wield it very powerfully. Their magicke allows them to release their countrymen, and others, from their undead state, as state brought on by The Star Wraith’s power. A few of the truly dead: the vampires, the litches, the gouls, the ghasts, and the ghosts, have seen freedom from the Star Wraith and have asked to join Zelfar….reluctantly they have been allowed accompany the Gypsees, prevented from harming the living through the witches power and Zelfar’s strength.
Today Zelfar's Gypsees and their dead wander the war torn lands, plying theirtrades and hiring their services to those that need an ally. By adopting this mercenary like attitude, they have become seen as both salvation and damnation. It is not always the highest bidder that wins their loyalty, sometimes it is the cause.
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Wandering through the ruins Zuridia could feel the call of the Magicke, it was strong this day. The cold seemed to be deeper and more than it normally was. It reminded her of the old time, the Year of White. Not that it was truly that cold, she knew better than that.
She had become accustomed to the warmth that they had enjoyed while Zelphar had made them trek south all that way because of a vision he’d had. That was several months ago, when he’d brought back the stick of power. Men and their power, always with their power. They know nothing of power. She thought summoning her will and calling forth fire to warm her.
Sometimes she could sense others in the essence of things, as if they too were accessing the nature of the gods. Sometimes she thought she could see a woman, yet not a woman, a rat woman with long flowing red hair. That woman seemed to be staring at her as if to say “I keen se ya. I kin na ha ya meesin in me powr girl.” She thought of her as the Rat Witch Queen but knew not why. Zuridia’s powers had grown since she had become a diviner, one who seeks that path. She knew her youth and inexperience were not up to the task of leading, yet one day it would come to her, and she would be ready.
Looking up from her pot, now bubbling and spewing out its offal like smell, she saw the men wandering towards the open field. She realized it was the thirteenth day before the giving day. The men were headed out to hunt down the Dark Czar’s minions and release thirteen of them, no longer a practice but a ritual performed this day every year.
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Setup
The white covered landscape, filled with death sage brush, rocks and gnarl trees, is colder this day than most other days. The Gypsee’s have camped in the far, harsh and unboding, northern part of the Witchlands. Their wanderings have brought them to craggy region of the north western shore and the lost ruins of Bleedout, a port city on the edge the world. Their search for the lost ones, other living beings, often takes them to dark places.
This day is no different. Players may construct the board so that crevices, rocky inclines, gnarled trees, and death sage are anywhere except the northern edge of the board. This edge of the board is treated as sea. 12cm from the northern edge of the board is considered sand, and treated as rough terrain for movement purposes.
Battle Force (BF): 400pts worth of units. No more than one Veteran unit, no more than one Experienced unit. Only the Veteran unit may have any of the reload skills. Only the section leader and his second in command may be of Elite status, no unit may be of Guerilla status. All other units may have skills as chosen by the player. BF must be comprised of at least 25% Raw troops. Light artillery may be used.
Setup:
Place one blocking terrain in contact with the center of the defenders board edge. This structure represents the ruins of Bleedout, a place where no living being dares go. Defender places units no more than 10cm from the center of the board. Attacker places units no more than 3cm from his board edge.
Terrain:
Each player selects three pieces of; hindering, or blocking terrain and places them. Players may use their opponent’s terrain. Terrain must be at least 7.5cm from player’s deployment zone, the edge of the playing area, and from other terrain features.
Battle Field Conditions:
Players may bring two different BFC. The BFC is played during game setup, and once played may not be re-used.
Note: As BFCs have not been issued at the time of this posting no BFCs may be used. Game length: Each tournament round lasts for 60 minutes, at which time round scoring takes place. Tournament to be conducted in a Swiss Pairing format.
House Rules: Not allowed
Objective: Defeat opponents forces.
Mission Conditions:
MC1: Destroyed units are worth their point value in MC1.
MC2: Remaining units are worth their point value in MC2.
MC3: See Special
Special:
Player one is chosen per the Flintloque rules. Player one chooses to be defender or attacker. The optional Magicke Rules are in effect, players may use them without the permission of their opponent.
Defenders: Move your units into base contact with the ruins of Bleedout. Units that remain inactive (given no orders) for one turn may “escape” into Bleedout. For each unit that escapes into Bleedout gain one MC3.
Attackers: Move your unit into base contact with an opposing unit. This unit may only be given an order to “Convert” and may not defend itself in melee combat. At the end of the round, if the unit is still alive, roll 1d10. On a result of: 4-10 for Zombie unit type, 8-9 for Vampire unit type, 10 for Litch and Goul unit type, the unit has been converted and is no longer under the Star Wraiths power. This unit is removed from game play and you receive two MC3 for each unit converted.
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Webmaster's Notes
"Who Stole My Goul?" was written exclusively for Orcs in the Webbe and was published on the 13th December 2008 as part the 2008 Advent Calendar.
It was absent for several years due to a prior regeneration of the website not transferring everything over correctly, the wrong has now been righted and it returned on the 13th November 2014 as part of Orcs in the Webbe's ongoing Flintloque Archive Project.
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