Chapter II : Blood Feud

Number of heroes : 3

Difficulty : 2

Blood Feud

A home-brewed scenario

The elaborate scroll-case snatched from the Hyperborean Emissary's body by Rudraige contains a parchment covered on one side with Hyperborean characters, and on the other by Turanian.  Both sides bear a wax seal and a signature in what is almost certainly blood.  Only Rudraige can read, and he understands neither of these languages.  The solemn nature of the parchment convinces him, however, that something is afoot.  Armed with his knowledge of the North Lands, he decides to head to the Aifreweia, a sanctuary founded by Nemedian worshippers of Mitra and dedicated to wisdom, whose inhabitants will almost certainly be able to help.

En route, Gawayn is alerted, by their trail and their detritus, to the presence of armed men.  He follows them into the wilderness, and returns to Rudraige to announce that one of his hereditary enemies, Seonaid Donohoi, is at the head of a raiding party.

Honour obliges Rudraige to take the fight to them; and duty too, for he cannot know if, unchecked, the soldiers will strike back southwards into Brythunia.

The heroes sneak into position above the enemy camp.  In its centre is chained a terrifying creature that often roams the North Lands : a Grey Ape.  This one has obviously been captured, and is being goaded by the Nemedians who seem to find its uncontrolled rage amusing.  Rudraige's desire to slay Seonaid is doubled by Gawayn's, that of an accomplished hunter : bring down the beast.

Objectives
-  The Heroes win if they slay both Seonaid and the Grey Ape

-  The Overlord wins if the Heroes fail to meet their victory condition, and Seonaid has personally inflicted at least one wound on Rudraige

-  Any other result is a draw

Game length
The game lasts 8 turns.  The Heroes play first.

Scenario Map
The scenario is played on a 7 x 8 hex surface.  It portrays a military camp on the windswept plains of the North Lands.

For set-up purposes, hex rows are noted from A to G, and columns from 1 to 8.

Heroes
In the campaign setting, the following heroes take part in this adventure, with any equipment they have, and spells selected using the campaign method.

Rudraige (sets up in G1; has 1 energy gem in the Wound Zone)

Gawayn (sets up in G1)

Ygritte (sets up in G4; has 2 energy gems in the Wound Zone)

All heroes set up with 3 energy gems in the Fatigue Zone.

The Overlord
The Overlord commands :

Seonaid Donohoi, who uses the Amboola tile.  She sets up in B5

A Grey Man-Ape (D4)

5 Red Nemedian Infantry (use the Bossonian Guard tile) (A3; B2; D4; D6; E7)

5 Orange Nemedian Infantry (A5; B2; B5; D4; E7)

5 Green Nemedian Militia (use the Pirates tile) (B2; D6; E1; E1; E8)

3 Grey Nemedian Crossbowmen (use the Kothian Archers tile) (C4; E6; E7)

The Overlord begins with 6 Gems in the Available Energy Zone and 6 Gems in the Fatigue Zone.  He recovers 5 each turn.


Ravens
When an Event is played : 

Look to our Lady ! : any Nemedian Infantry can make a free move, using their basic movement distance only, as long as that move allows them to reach Seonaid's hex.  This free move is subject to all normal rules for movement, including hindrance.

Reinforcements : 4 points of reinforcements

The River
1 : Red Nemedian Infantry
2 : Nemedian Crossbowmen
3 : Raven
4 : Green Nemedian Militia
5 : Seonaid Donohoi (4 wounds)
6 : Orange Nemedian Infantry
7 : Grey Man-Ape (6 wounds)
8 : Nemedian Crossbowmen


Reinforcement Zones
There are two reinforcement zones, located in C1 and D8


Equipment Cards
There are five Treasure Chests (C3, C6, D2, E2, E7), containing an Axe, a Crossbow, two Life Potions and a Sacred Treasure.

The Sacred Treasure can be exchanged, after the scenario, for any 0 or 1 Encumbrance weapon or object of the player's choice.

Opening a Treasure Chest is a complex manipulation requiring 1 success.


Terrain

If the game is played on 3D terrain, the House Rules for this apply.

The Heroes may leave the board but may not return.

Tents are vulnerable to the Wall Breaker skill


Other House Rules

If players are in agreement, any or all of the other House Rules may apply



SSRs

-  Scout

Gawayn has skillfully scouted the enemy's position.  On the first turn, the Heroes add 1 to their base movement.

-  Unleash the Beast !

The Grey Man-Ape cannot be activated by the Overlord until he is unleashed, although the Overlord can use active defense and rerolls for it.  To unleash him, a character controlled by the Overlord must be activated in, or use his movement, to enter the Grey Man-Ape's hex.  The overlord then spends 1 or more gems to make a Complex Manipulation.  He uses red dice if the character began in the hex, orange dice if he had to move 1 hex to reach it, otherwise yellow dice.  3 successes are required.  If the character fails, the Grey Man-Ape makes a free attack against him, but the first two hits are ignored.

-  Uncontrollable Rage

If the Overlord activates the Grey Man-Ape, there are no special rules to be followed.

If however he does not activate the Grey Man-Ape during his turn, the creature will move towards the closest character - friend or enemy - that he can attack, and then attack him.  If several characters are equally distant, the Overlord chooses between them.

For each character the Grey Man-Ape kills through Uncontrollable Rage, he gains 1 Wound, to a maximum of 8, and also one reroll, materialised by a red gem placed on his unit card.  The Grey Man-Ape can only use his personal rerolls on his attack dice.

-  Duel of Honour

If Rudraige is in the same hex as Seonaid, no other Hero can attack Seonaid

Seonaid has the Blocker skill, but it applies only to Rudraige (note that House Rules allow the Blocker skill to be nullified by a wound inflicted).

-  Blood Feud

Rudraige gains +1 XP if he personally kills Seonaid

Gawayn gains +1 XP if he personally kills the Grey Man-Ape