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  giorgis 10:00 pm on December 29, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 5leagues ( 45 ), Solo ( 161 )   

  In The Aristrax Marches – Ep17 

  Previously in the Aristrax Marches, the Ravens of Gadun were ambushed by organized robbers. They defeated them, but Bolga and Caldas were injured in the process.

  ---

  Turn 28

  No Camp Events were rolled. The Upkeep was at 2 Gold Marks, and I decided that we should Live off the land as one of the Campaign Activities. Bolga chugged off one turn of Recovery and is ready to fight, while Caldas has 2 more turn remaining. Myrick also tried to Forage for herbs and failed.
  Tried to roll for Connections at the Research step, but we got no result.
  Finally, after considering it carefully, I decided that we should explore the tunnel complex delve of the Bronzewood forest.
  Reading through the rules a second time, I could have removed one injury turn from Bolga in the previous Turn, according to the exception rules for two battles in one campaign turn. Not much would change, but nevertheless, here we are. I’ll be more wary next time.

  The warband is now more serious than before. They are gathered around the camp, looking over their shoulders for any beast that may approach from the tunnel complex. Boots and Bolga are at recovery, Myrick and Temir are foraging and finding supplies, while Brobern is keeping watch.
  Once they’re ready Omac gives the word. “We need to step in the tunnels. Whatever lurks in there, we cannot let it be without dealing with it.”
  They pack up, and head inside.

  I’ve taken some time to convert the 5P non minis test rules provided by Ivan, to work with Five Leagues from the Borderlands 3rd Edition. Theatre of the mind is something I’ve always wanted to try out in this game, and I’m about to try it out in the site delve. You can find here the 5L theatre of the mind adaptation rules.

  ---

  Combat

  Our First Move revealed a Passage Through and we have another Unexplored Location in the same Map Area.
  As for the foe, I rolled that the Tunnels are infested by Winged Imps, 6 in total. A nice point here on my choice to use no-minis rules, as I have no winged imps miniatures or suitable miniature proxies.

  The warband enters the cave complex and walks slowly through the debris. Omac and Myrick are on the lookout for danger that might lurk in any corner.

  ROUND 1

  Omac looks ahead carefully, and sees a figure in the distance.

  ROUND 2

  Myricks goes to investigate, and as he closes in, he can see the remains of a halfling. As he leans over the body, a flutter of wings behind him warns him to turn around. A winged imp claws at him, but he has his sword in place just in time, and pushes it away, the blade gleaming with magic light in the dark cavern. The cries of the imp has brought attention to the intruder, and another imp is visible in the distance.
  Bolga charges the caves, and comes face to face with another imp, he tries to kill it, but it’s tough leathery skin protects it.
  Omac goes to a side cave where someting else draws his attention.
  Another imp charges at Bolga and it’s claws wound the duskling, but he recovers, and raging, he hacks it down in two. It won’t fly again.
  An imp attacks Omac from the side, and hits him, but his breastplate is too hard for the beast’s claws. He blocks the next attack, and with a mighty swing of his bastard sword, he kills it.
  The imp that ambushed Myrick flies away and on to Bolga who just killed it’s family. It slashes at the duskling but, the warrior wins the fight. He swings his cleaver twice, and with each hack, the imp is chopped to pieces.

  ROUND 3

  Omac casts a heal spell to the brute Raven who just killed two imps, and Bolga is immediately rejuvenated. He moves to examine the movement that Omac detected, and it’s another ambush! An imp tries to kill him, but he manages to fend it off.
  Pushed away by Bolga into the direction of Myrick, it engages him in combat. Myrick wins the fight, and the Heartseeker carves the tough skin like butter. The imp is dead.

  ROUND 4

  Under the direction of Omac who scouts ahead, Myrick moves to where he pointed, and sees that something is hidden under the rubble. But as the warrior walks through the tunnel complex, from two side tunnels, three imps catch sight of him, and charge in.
  Brobern and Bolga stand in the way to protect their friend and stop the imps from flanking them. Brobern manages to fend them off, while Bolga also wounds one of them.

  ROUND 5

  Omac looks around for anything else interesting, but the imps don’t let him peek out, flying in and clawing at the warband. Bolga has had enough, and tries to charge at the creatures, but his attempts are unsuccesful.
  He is attacked by an imp, and he sends it away by swinging his blade in empty air.
  Two more of the imps come at Myrick who has turned to face them. He faces one off, and kills the other, swinging the Heartseeker like an expert.

  ROUND 6

  Omac again fails to scout ahead, and Bolga continues his attempts to kill the flying pests. He charges at one of the imps, forcing it on a short part of the ceiling. It’s move obstructed the imp is an easy picking for Bolga’s cleaver who takes the opportunity to kill it.
  Another imp comes at Myrick, who becomes their bane, killing one more of them. Frightened by the warrior, the other imp flies back away from him and switches to attack Temir. It’s attackls blocked, it flies away, and the tunnel complex is finally silent.

  ROUND 7

  Having secured the area, the Ravens explore the complex at their leisure. Myrick finds several hidden items, and puts them together in a stash for the Ravens to peruse when they gather together. He almost got crushed, when he entered a room full of poisonous gas, but the odd smell gave it away, and he stopped short of breathing it in.

  ROUND 8+

  ---

  Resolution

  Having held the field, all the participants earned 2 XP, and Temir reached Level 6, earning the final Combat Skill increase, and I chose mastery in melee combat for a +3 CS melee.
  Our 3 Something Hidden successful Scout rolls earned us 3 more Loot rolls, for a total of 4 Loot rolls.
  These ended up to be, a Quick Fencing Sword which I assigned to Caldas, a Ranger’s Cloak given to Temir (I’ll also change his miniature), a Partial Armour & Shield, and a Camp Gear.
  Our Unusual Finds was the remains of a victim, from Newhorn.
  News Travels resulted that Newhorn is in need of supplies.

  The warband gathers around and looks at the loot. Weapons, armour, cloaks and tools are distributed among the Ravens.
  When they have settled down, Omac pulls out a letter that they found on a halfling’s corpse and reads it the sender’s address. “Mina, Newhorn”.
  Boots looks at them. “We should take it to her, first chance we get.”

  ---

  Session Summary

  I really enjoyed the theatre of the mind for a change. It was way faster to run, though not as immersive as playing with miniatures. I imagine that I can do something in-between to help with immersion when I need, like placing a couple of minis and take some photos of melee engagements for the fun of it. Also I think that I could use maps or other pieces of art to help visualise the combat.
  The rules worked pretty much as expected. In the first couple of rounds nothing really happened, and after I held the field it was more or less rolling to reveal the markers. The thing to note here though, is that I had similar experiences when running delves with miniatures, so I can call it a success.
  On another note, either I’m really bad at bookkeeping, or trying to keep note of all the information connected together is very difficult when you add the narrative overlay. I just realized I never introduced the Adventurer friend from Ep11. I took a look on how I’ll be keeping notes from now on. Considered analogue solutions, but eventually I settled on Rolescape.

  You can find here the Aristrax Marches Rolescape. I’ll be updating the entries as well as on my own pace and I’m very optimistic that this will help fledge out the entire world. Really excited that I found this.
   

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  giorgis 3:46 pm on December 17, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 5leagues ( 45 ), Solo ( 161 )   

  In The Aristrax Marches – Ep16 

  Previously in the Aristrax Marches, the Ravens of Gadun destroyed the Whispers from Beyond hideout, and with it, they eliminated the threat in the region. Undin fell in battle against the enemy, denting their success. Brobern, the young runaway who joined the warband when they first arrived in the Marches, steped in to take the fallen companion’s place.

  ---

  Turn 26

  No Town Events were rolled. Upkeep was moderate at 2 Gold Marks, but I’ve gone to Help the Town Guard nevertheless to offset it. I’ve repaired the Damaged Partial Armour at the Blacksmith, switched it with Brobern’s Light Armour and sold the Light Armour for a total cost of 2 Gold Marks.
  On the Connections step, a Quest was offered but since we have a Quest ongoing, it’s disregarded.
  Finally at the Adventuring stage I choose that we will Explore a Location, Hightower that’s in the same Map Area that we are right now (Langecliffe).
  The roll showed that Hightower is in the middle of Fey Woods. I don’t think we want to tackle this right now, so we’ll step back.
  In News Travels we have no News rolled.

  After adventuring for so long, preparations have become routine for the warband. They assist the town guard for an easy buck, and spend some time at the market square, repairing maille at the blacksmith and selling a leather jacket.
  Once they’re all back at the Inn, Omac gathers them round to lay out the plans.
  “We focused on clearing the land of the living from the unliving. And we were successful. We should not forget though that as we stomp down the greater evil, others may arise. We shall head out and explore Hightower, which should be nearby.” He says and they all gather their gear.
  But the way to Hightower is right in the middle of woods. As they step in, the path seems to subtly change. Crossings that were going in two ways, now only go to one. A quick change of glance direction is enough for the scenery to alter.
  Omac stops. “Elfin magic.”
  He looks back and sees that barely, the clear sky from where they entered is just visible.
  “We shall head back, while we still can. Spread the word that these woods are not to be entered for no reason.”

  ---

  Turn 27

  Again no Town Events were rolled. Upkeep was rolled at 2 Gold Marks, which we’ll pay.
  For Campaign Activities Omac will Train and gain 1 XP and we will Meet the Locals in an attempt to get a Contract but instead we just Spend time having a drink and gain 1 Story Point.
  On the Connections step, as a second attempt to get a Contract – we’re low on Gold we did not find any information.
  Trading, we will sell a Damaged Standard Weapon for a mere 1 Gold Mark.
  Finally we decide to Travel elsewhere to Explore a Location which is Bronzewood, see what lies there.
  The Travel roll results in an Obstacle which is a Toll Post. We’re already low on Gold, and paying 2 more Gold Marks is not what we want, but unfortunately Omac failed in his Speech test. We will therefore attempt to go around, and make another Travel roll, which results in us being Waylaid by foes, and it’s going to be a defensive battle against 9 Organized Robbers, their Sergeant and their Lieutenant. The battlefield Theme is going to be Meadows and Fields and the Scenario is a Defensive Battle.

  The warband spends more time in Langecliffe, their resources dwindling. In order to keep himself in fighting shape, Omac spends some time training, while the rest of the men drink their worries in the inn, and make acquaintances with the locals. Their stories and how they cleared the Aristrax Marches of the dead spread in the village. They sell some of their loot that is unusable unless repaired, a sword that needs requenching and tempering as it has been bent way out of shape, and to Omac’s command they head out on the path to Bronzewood.
  As they walk through the woods, they reach a strong stream with a bridge on top.
  On the other side of the bridge is a gatehouse, barring the way.
  They knock on the closed wooden gate, and through a window opening, a man looks at them. “By order of Duke Gauwill, benefactor who built this bridge, all who pass through must pay the equivalent of 2 crowns.”
  “Duke Gauwill is at Newhorn! these are not his lands!” Exclaims Omac.
  “I do not like the looks of you lot. These lands are safe by order of the Duke. The cost is to keep you safe will crossing.” The toll post officer snaps back.
  “We’ll take the long unsafe way.” Omac scoffs, and leads the group by the stream.
  The path is rough, and there seems to be no way past the strong stream, until they reach a point a couple hours later where the stream is really narrow and shallow, and on the past side, the woods clear to a nice big meadow.
  “Ha!” Omac smiles. “Only a league’s worth of walking and we can make our own way.”
  But once they get past and start walking in the meadow, they see figures surrounding them, coming at them from the woods surrounding the clearing.
  “It’s an ambush!” Boots cries out, and they draw their weapons to fight.

  ---

  Combat

  

  “At them boys! They look ripe for the picking!” The enemy leader shouts. “They didn’t want to pay the toll, now they’re at our mercy!”
  Quick on their reflexes, the Ravens shoot at their ambushers, but on their haste, all the arrows miss their targets. Only Boots’ sling bullet finds its mark, but only stuns the enemy for a moment.
  The robbers close in and shoot back and hit Myrick and Omac, who are both saved by their armour.
  Their foes in range, the Ravens close in melee. Bolga swings his cleaver twice and hacks the first bandit to death.
  Brobern exchanges hits with a bandit, with no winner resulting from the fight.
  Omac decides to close in melee as well, but his skill in swordfight isn’t equal to his skill in casting spells, and the robber has the upper hand, he wounds the Beard who steps back, looking at his foe, spitting in front of him.

  ROUND 1

  

  Omac Gadun stands back, and switches his focus to cast a spell to recover from his wound. Arcane magics do their part, and the Beard is invigorated once more.
  Bolga jumps to another bandit, but with the support of his bandit companions, the enemy blocks the duskling’s attacks and attacks back, stunning Bolga for a moment. Brobern attacks the same Bandit, and shares the same fate, his foe stunning him as the blow is stopped by the armour.
  Temir shoots at the robbers, his arrow wounding an enemy. Boots and Myrick, concentrate their fire at the same foe, in an attempt to bring him down, but they both miss.
  The bandit leader points his axe to Bolga and they clash in combat. They forfeit any defense, and wound each other before disengaging.
  Another robber attacks Brobern hoping to break the warband’s line of defense, but the young runaway wins the exchange and wounds his opponent instead. And yet another robber jumps in, but the thug, is wounded by Brobern as well, and steps back. Brobern is furious.
  A bandit attacks Omac, but the opponets are equal in skill, and Omac is pushed back, and the fight is over.
  The bandit who was shot by Temir, breaks the arrow so that the tail won’t be an obstacle, and charges at Temir. His first strike hits Temir, but doesn’t go through the thick brigandine armour. Temir deflects the next hit, and with another strike from his magic sword, the bandit perishes, gouging blood.
  The bandit archers now have a clear line of sight and shoot at Omac, missing him altogether, and Caldas, who, despite the small size is hit, but his chain shirt stops the arrow.
  Two more robbers close in on Boots, the firsts one missing the halfling who uses the height of the fence to his advantage and counterattacks one bandit, his fencing blade wounding him, and with a follow up strike, finishes him altogether. Unfortunately, he hasn’t regained his strength to focus on the second bandit, who, with one strike of his weapon, drops the halfling down.
  The bandit second-in-command charges at Myrick who also keeps a defense at the fence. Myrick has become a skilled warrior since he joined the Ravens, and the robber is no match. He counters, wounds his enemy, and kills him.

  ROUND 2

  

  Bolga likes to leave no case open, and continues the duel against the bandit leader. One strong hit is enough. The bandit can’t deflect it, and the huge, thick cleaver, hacks him down. The robbers are without anyone to lead them now.
  Myrick shoots at a wounded robber, striking true. The arrow goes in the lungs, and the thug drops.
  A bandit archer takes a pot shot at the wounded duskling, and the arrow bypasses the armour, Bolga becoming a casualty. The other archer shoots at Myrick, but misses, as Myrick is safe behind cover.
  The bandits engage in melee with Brobern, Omac and Myrick, but the Ravens push them away, without any definite winner.
  Temir, having switched to melee, continues with the Heartseeker at hand. He attacks a robber, and kills him, breaking their lines.
  Omac and Brobern try to assist, but they can’t score a success.
  The bandit casualties have mounted up, despite hitting two of the Ravens, and one of the bandit archers turns tail and flees, abandoning his friends.

  ROUND 3

  

  Temir continues his killing spree, and slashes down another of the remaining robbers.
  The bandit archer decides to stop him, and shoots the hero, but with a trembling hand he fumbles, and drops all his arrows to the ground.
  Another robber marches up to Temir, but the Ox blocks his attacks and steps back.
  A bandit and Myrick face each other in combat, and tired as they both are, they are careless, and both step back wounded. Myrick goes back in the fray, and they exchange blows, without any decisive hit, until finally the hero finds an opening and kills his wounded foe.
  Omac tries his skill at melee once more, but the thug wins the fight, wounding the Beard in the process.
  The fight being a certain loss, the other bandit archer also flees, leaving the last of his friends alone in the battlefield.

  ROUND 4

  

  Temir quenches the Heartseeker’s thirst for blood by finishing off the last wounded robber. The Ravens of Gadun cheer for Victory as they hold the field!

  ROUND 5

  ---

  Resolution

  Since we Held the field against Organized Robbers, we earn 1 Gold Mark as Crime does Pay a little. Also we earn 1 Adventure Point for Defeating a Lieutenant.
  Rolling on the Injuries table, Bolga ends up Dead. I spend 1 Story Point and re-roll, and get that he is Moderately Wounded and needs 1 Turn of Recovery. Boots is Lightly Wounded and needs 3 Turns of Recovery.
  Experience Points are awarded as follows.

  Name	Hold the Field	Defeat Enemy Leader	Survived	Total
  Bolga	–	1	1	2
  Boots	–	–	1	1
  Omac	1	–	1	2
  Temir	1	–	1	2
  Myrick	1	1	1	3

  Omac levels up to Level 5 and earns a Spell Improvement at Bind which reduces the Incantation Roll difficulty by 2.
  I roll on the Flash of Insight for Brobern and he earns nothing. I decide to spend 6 Adventure Points for an Adventure Milestone and make him a Hero, since he’s already Loyal. I will assign a Warhammer to him now that he’s capable of wielding it.
  The Loot roll, turned up a Fey Steel Full Armor, which will be given to Brobern.
  The Unusual Finds roll, brought up a Damaged Warhammer and a Damaged Standard Weapon.

  Since this was a result from the Travel roll, we will also roll what the Explore Location roll will bring up for Bronzewood we get that there is a Tunnel Complex which is essentially another Delve.
  The warband is in no state to start going in a Delve so we’ll stop here.
  Finally to close up, we roll that there are no News Events.

  The Ravens tend to their wounded. Bolga has a deep gash that runs by his side, and stopped just a couple of inches away from hitting his lungs. He can’t fathom how he stood so lucky. If he’d have been hit a little bit further, it would have been the end of him. Caldas is in worse shape. What was a simple foot injury, seems like it will take longer to recover.
  Searching through their fallen foes, they find enough gold, that the robbers had taken from other victims, and some weapons that are in a bad shape, but what really stands out to Omac is a fine maille hauberk. The craftsmanship isn’t man made. Fey steel, threaded and woven like wool. He calls for Brobern.
  “Here you go young man.” He says as he gives him the armour. “You’ve surely earned this the way you fought today.” Brobern smiles and humbly accepts his gift.
  Once they’ve recovered, they continue their path to Bronzewood. See if the rumours they had heard about people disappearing there are true at all. What they find, walking through the woods, gives credit to the stories. They have counted at least four cave entrances that seem to interconnect, and lead to a tunnel complex that goes who knows where.
  Omac stops as soon as they scout more than 200 yards inside, and orders them out.
  He looks at his companions.
  With both Caldas and Bolga injured, he doesn’t want to risk it.
  “We’ll camp. Once we’re rested and started to recover from our injuries, we’ll see to going inside.” He tells the warband, and they all nod in agreement. The fighting with the robbers was fierce, they’d rather rest before going deep in an unknown underground complex.

  ---

  Session Summary

  I really loved how the travel events joined up together in succession. We didn’t pay the toll, and ended up in an unlawful part, fighting for our lives. Is it by chance, do the bandits take advantage of the high toll price to pick up wanderers, or do they perhaps work together with the officials? Perfect food for narrative.
  I kinda need to be more wary of the combat options, and choose the different melee options. The story points saved us from losing another warband member, and a skilled one. Losing Bolga would have been a terrible strike. Also retrospectively if I had spent the Adventure Points to advance Undin to a Hero rather than a Follower, perhaps he’d be better skilled and had survived, but I completely had forgotten that part of the rules.
  Overall the Five Leagues from the Borderlands 3rd Edition ruleset is very dense and detailed, but the learning curve is not steep. I’d say it’s linear at an average slope, so you can get started to play the game and be at 90% accordance with the rules, without much effort, but you can still add more rules and options as you go.
  Also it really helps having the book printed, but you will have to turn to Modiphius or the LFGS, as there is no print option at DTRPG for this.
   
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  giorgis 11:42 pm on December 9, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 5leagues ( 45 ), Solo ( 161 )   

  In the Aristrax Marches – Ep15 

  Previously in the Aristrax Marches, the Ravens of Gadun defeated a band of Fog Born about to attack some villagers. Camped at the Wilderness near the battle site, they are almost about ready to eliminate the first threat.

  Turn 25

  Rolling for Camp Events since we never made it back, I got (as per the homebrew rule) that there is no event.
  Upkeep rolled is 3 Gold Marks, so we’ll Live of the land as one of the Campaign Activities. Bolga will try to Forage for Herbs but Fails.
  In the Research step I’ll spend 6 Adventure Points to Discover Hidden Location which makes this an automatic success, and we discover that the Whispers from Beyond Threat Hideout is in the same location as Langecliff. Langecliff already has 2 Delves and several Unknown Locations, so it feels like the Undead were hiding in common sight among other foes.
  In order to make it there we have to make a Travel roll, which is Uneventful Travels.

  The Ravens of Gadun spend most of their time in the foothills, trying to find something edible, as they’re out of rations. While Bolga is away foraging for herbs, Omac has laid out a map of the Aristrax Marches and starts noting things down. Using pencil and string he draws large circles, and finally by the time Bolga is back, empty handed, he yells Eureka.
  “Here!” he calls for the warband to gather around him. “By my calculations, considering the enemy sightings and their activities, the enemy is hiding in the region surrounding Langecliff. We shall head there and scour the land until we find them, and finish them once and for all.”
  The warband looks at each other with curiosity. All this science sounds like magic to them, but he’s the mystic, who are they to question him. It also helps that he is their leader, so they follow Omac to the path he draws.

  ---

  Rolling randomly on the Foe we are about to face The Taken, that’s quite easy, but the dice have spoken. Their numbers rolled are low as well. We’re facing 7 of them, supported by 2 of their Captains. The Theme is Near a Farmhouse. We sneak up as close as possible before being detected. On hindsight I could have moved my figures in a better manner to avoid detection until all of them were closer. Lesson learned.

  South of Langecliffe, they see a farmhouse, but Boots stops them. “Let me go scout ahead.” Omac agrees to this precaution, and Boots returns later with news.
  “There’s no living soul in the farmhouse. Some ruins nearby are inhabbited by the taken. Husks of men. Seems that after whoever lived here died or converted to the darkness, this place has sunk in evil. This could be what we’re looking for.” He whispers. “We should move in with caution.”
  Omac nods, and they unseathe their weapons, strap their shields and crouch forward.
  They approach under the cover of the building, and as they emerge from the sides, the enemy takes notice. The husks scream out in their hoarse voices, and the fighting is about to begin.

  ---

  Combat

  

  Boots and Bolga dash closer, and Temir takes a shot at the enemy, wounding one of them.
  One of the husks charges at the halfling, who, defending behind a ruined wall, parries, counterattacks, wounds and kills with a last strike the husk. The rest of the combatants close in to the fray.

  

  Boots attacks a husk on his side of the buttlefield. Strike after strike, he wounds and kills his enemy.
  Bolga steps out of the grove and cuts a husk in two with his cleaver. Another foe steps in to take the place of his friend, only to fall dead under Bolga’s cleaver as well. A third one jumps, and steps back, wounded by Bolga’s fierce fighting.
  One of the taken’s leaders challenges Bolga. His swing misses Bolga who steps aside and with a counter hit, kills him, his cleaver decapitating him.
  With one of their leaders down, enraged another Husk lunges at Bolga, and dies by his blade.
  Temir takes a pot shot at the Husk he wounded, but his bowstring snaps, so he abandons it for now.
  Myrick aims his bow at the same enemy, but his arrow hits a tree instead.

  

  Bolga now turns to face the last of the enemy leaders. One after the other, the two locked enemies parry their strikes, until Bolga finds an opening and wounds his opponent who steps back, bleeding.
  A minion tries to save his captain and steps in, pushing Bolga back. The taken leader, wounded, jumps back in the fight, but Bolga avoids all the attacks. Boots shoots his sling at the enemy, his bullet finds it’s target, but doesn’t hurt him.
  So Temir goes in melee. The heartseeker is true yet once more, and the wounded enemy husk perishes.
  Myrick now aims his bow at the enemy leader. Hoping for a finishing strike, he succeeds. The arrow pierces the taken’s throat, and gargling in his own blood, he is wounded, but stands.
  Undin, slow and steady has reached the fight. He attacks the wounded enemy leader, but despite the wounds, he’s no match for his enemy. The counterattack is fierce, and with a strong hit that passes through the dwarf’s armour, the adventurer drops.
  Omac cries out at his companion’s demise and decides to attack his enemy, staff and sword. The enemy predicts the strike and counterattacks, putting Omac on the defensive, before he breaks off the engagement.
  As time passes, the wound on the enemy’s throat closes, and a sinister smile is drawn on his face as he takes pause to look at the warband.

  At the middle of this round I realized that during the melee with the first enemy captain, I forgot to apply their Parry ability. Since I could not go back and fix this error, I decided in all fairness to disregard the death blow by Boots on the second enemy captain, and heal him altogether.

  

  Bolga yells a battlecry and charges once more at his foe. The husk leader parries twice, but the last blow goes through his defence and wounds him. He pushes back at Bolga, but fails to land a strike.
  The last minion attacks at Temir, who deflects the strike and hits back, twice, the last blow of the Heartseeker going through it’s skull, killing it instantly.
  Temir turns his attention at the enemy leader, the last foe standing. His attack though isn’t as skilled as his enemy, who counterattacks, and wounds Temir at the arm, causing him to disengage.
  Boots goes in at his encircled enemy. His fencing sword elegantly bypassing his enemy’s defences, and finding the dark blooded thing the husk has as a heart. It stops, and motionless, the husk leader drops.

  ---

  On the Resolution stage, counting the Adventure Points I rolled 4 for the victory, 2 more for the leaders and 1 more for the Whispers from Beyond Threat numbering 5+, for a total of 7 Adventure Points which leaves me with 1, after spending 6 to eliminate the threat.
  Rolling on the Follower Injuries table I get that Undin is dead. I don’t have a Story Point or other means to save him. His Partial Armor is also damaged.
  Boots and Bolga earn 3 XP each, while Omac, Temir and Myric earn 2 XP each.
  Boots has leveled up to Level 5 and he earns the Scouting Skill.
  Myrick also reaches Level 3 and gets a Combat Skill increase to +2.
  For being victorious in the Hideout Raid we earn 2 Loot rolls, which result in A Light Armour and Helmet and a Spellbreaker Herb.
  This also gives 2 Unusual Finds rolls, which are a Warhammer, a Damaged Standard Weapon and a Damaged Bastard Sword.
  There are no News Events rolled.
  We also earn a Story Point and an additional Loot roll for ending a Threat which is 2 Torches.
  Finally, since we have Brobern, the Young Runaway since Ep01 with us, it’s time for him to join the company (according to the rulebook). I rolled on the Flash of Insight and gained nothing, but still he’s Loyal and will hopefully be a valuable asset.

  The husks dark blood stains the land. A feeling of accomplishment overcomes Omac, who stands proud in the field. But then his gaze falls on Caldas, the halfling who stands over Undin. The dwarf’s red blood is also spilled. The halfling shakes his head, and then hangs it in sadness.
  Their victory was pyrrhic. Noone speaks.
  Finally Omac breaks the silence. “The enemy is defeated, but this victory was not without it’s cost. Undin!” He yells. “Your sacrifice was not in vain. You shall rest, and know that these lands are safer because of your actions.”
  He turns to the Ravens. “Scout the battlefield for anything of value to our cause. Then we shall carry Undin to a proper place for a burial. He was one of us.”
  They gather a small stash of weapons and gear, and having cleaned and dressed their friend, they carry his body to Langecliff.
  They head to the shrine of Xapha, the God of War. The monks there stare at them. Battered from battle, they step aside, letting them pass. As is customary for warriors who perish in battle, the monks of Xapha arrange the funeral. They clean the body, and settle them with their armour deep in the ground where the blood spilled in battle goes.
  As the party steps out of the shrine, Brobern steps forward. “The time has come. I’m ready. I’ll fight by your side. I want to make Undin proud. I want to make you proud.”
  Omac smiles and gives him Undin’s axe and shield. “And so shall you.” He replies.

  ---

  Session Summary

  It took me 25 turns and 15 sessions to eliminate the first threat from the map!
  This is an excellent example of the campaign duration! Five Leagues from the Borderlands is a game that will keep solo players busy for a long time! Considering the different options in character creation, enemy threats and difficulty settings, replayability is high. This may be the only fantasy skirmish game I’ll ever need.

  Now as to the session itself I enjoyed it. At first I was afraid I’ll be bored with the low difficulty of the rolled foe numbers and types, but the existence of two captains really tipped the scales. It wasn’t the basic skill values, rather the combination of abilities (parry, counterattack, regeneration and tough) that made them really hard to defeat. So in the end we were victorious, albeit at a high price. I want some variety in my warband and losing a dwarf was not to my liking. The activation of the Young Runaway came at a perfect timing, though and the slot was covered. I’m curious to see if he’ll survive long enough to be a hero.

  For the next steps I’ll most probably try a few shots at Contracts. We need some gold to get some better gear before making a second attempt at the Quest. After this, it will be back to the threats elimination again.

  With all these changes I’ll need a new photo of the warband together. Until then, here’s the paper records 5l3e-e15t25 I’m using, scanned in pdf format.