[Quest Pack] [5 Quests, 6 Encounters] - Out of the Wastes

[The Admiral]

It's been a long time coming, but my brother's main Barbarian will finally be playing this quest week commencing 19th November. Well, part of it anyway. Quest 1, Encounter 2, Quest 2, Encounter 3 and Quest 3. This will leave the party technically 'out of the wastes'. When we next get round to the Barbarian we will play the quests of the approach to, and escape from, Uzkulak. This will include Quest 1 from the Crossroads of the World pack as this will determine what path they will take through the Darklands on the next stage.
Current party = Saracen (Barbarian), Rob Roy (Dwarf Slayer), Bombadril (Dwarf), Thorgrim (Dwarf Runepriest), Altus (Alchemist) and special henchman Sir Bram (Chaos Warrior). Their henchmen are 1 Kossar champion and his hunting wolf, and 3 Kossar archers. A fourth archer died during the two portal quests between Karak Vlag and the wastes.

Some real nasties in store for my brother: Northern Chaos Warriors, Forsaken, Flamer demons, and of course the Chaos Beast!

[clmckay]

I'm really glad you're going to play this. Let us know how it goes, I hope you have as good a time playing it as we did. I really need to get the packs we've done over the past two years done. It's just so hard to find the time and motivation to make presentation ready packs after we've already played them.

[The Admiral]

I'm really glad you're going to play this. Let us know how it goes, I hope you have as good a time playing it as we did. I really need to get the packs we've done over the past two years done. It's just so hard to find the time and motivation to make presentation ready packs after we've already played them.

I really hope you do get to post the follow on to Crossroads of the World, but it will be a long time before my brother and I actually get to that point.

[The Admiral]

Do you consider that this rule affects ranged attacks? A crossbow requires no strength to fire, except perhaps to load the mechanism for firing; just pull the trigger. I can see how pulling a bow string or throwing an axe would be affected.

[clmckay]

Great minds think alike. One of our group asked the same question and gave the same examples.

When designing it I intended it to be an across the board effect. I didn't want to get in the position of "this weapon, but not that, unless this or with this" series of endless debates.

That said, I'm sure I didn't make it effect the crossbow. I do distinctly remember telling them "we'll make this allowance, but no others!"

[The Admiral]

Thanks, I'll go with just a crossbow exception then, but I think I will add a rule that it will take an action to reload.

[The Admiral]

We only managed 4 of the 5 planned quests. We should get 'A Passage Through Dark Places' played over Christmas. The luck swung quite dramatically over the four quests. In 'The Small Tower' my brother couldn't hit squat, and he took a real pasting. It is a tough quest anyway, but is short and mostly only Marauders, but he was struggling to even take one out, whereas in 'Karag Dum' he went through my monsters like a knife through butter! And that quest is massively difficult.

'A Rescue in the Deep' was interesting, as due to the combination of the Ice Vault followed by the Icy River, he only took a four man team; leaving the Alchemist, Runepriest and henchmen at the start. The Barbarian had his Armband of Ice, The Chaos Warrior was immune anyway, The Slayer took his Potion of Cold Immunity, and the Dwarf took his chances as the team wanted a crossbow option, which turned out well as he soon found the 'Winter's Armour'.

'Tombs in the Dark' seemed a bit of an anti-climax after the previous three quests, but it did end in a bang. First, Sir Bram the Chaos Warrior turned to the Dark Side. I had written a special rule on when and how he could turn, but a freakish set of dice rolls meant he turned almost as soon as he could have, taking a valuable healing potion with him. Having finally managed to subdue him, and a little pissed off at losing him so soon, my brother's men then had a nightmare with the Ice Demon, which took a real chunk out of his men, along with his Kossar Champion henchman. I cheered him up by putting the 'Ice Gem' in the treasure chest so that he can hire 4 Kurgan Tribesmen for the next quest.

This is a great set of quests for a Barbarian who has completed 'The Frozen Horror' as he gets to use all the cool stuff found there. he enjoyed zipping around on his 'Snowshoes of Speed'!

Great fun thanks!