Lankhmar - The Scroll.

Date: Day of the Hare. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat: 

Late Evening in the House of Mellor, Defoe, Gideon, Jacktar and Blab present

• Waiting for Peak at the House of Mellor when in match eight soldiers with an officer and a scribe who announces to all that the scribe Peak has been killed.  The officer says ‘by men in priest’s garb’ and immediately settles his eye on Blab in his priestly disguise which stands out from the scribes more monkish look.
• The officer takes him and Defoe aside to interrogate but latter emerges red faced after discovering that they had a good alibi backed up by the Scholar Teasin.
• After some argument and then debate Gideon discovers that Peak had been viscously bitten and torn and found in the vicinity of Clear Water Court.  Also that Peak had been engaged through the House to discover, and when the whereabouts discovered as in the East, to travel and recover an object called The Frenzy Bone. 
• Gideon fails at this time to get any money and Blab convinces him that the box is worth more than he'd get anyway.
• The Four retire to a nearby bar to discuss their options.
• They discuss recent events, noting the 'coincidence' of Peaks death place and the place they were to meet Hal'adziir Ral Brra'habin. Also that the tortured prisoner from the ambush had described his employer (bearing in mind he only knew what his boss had told him) as an Easterner by the name Brad'in. 

·  Blab also shows everyone the scroll:

It seems to show in pictograms and runes a history and/or mythology.  The runes are unknown but the pictures are:

1.       A very thin toothless shark like creature with fish swimming around it.

2.       The sharkish thing is thinner still, but this time talking to a great cuttlefish like thing.

3.       The sharkish goes into the oceans depths.

4.       It meets a big vicious looking whale-like creature that seems to be asleep.

5.       It takes or steals an object from the whale's temple just in front of its water spout.

6.       The Shark is now a proper shark and in a feeding frenzy eating all the creatures it meets.

A second set of pictures show:

1.       A great horseshoe shaped arena facing out to sea.

2.       A figure shaped or dressed with a sharks fin and head-dress holding an object in a ceremony.

3.       The object is placed on a plinth.

4.       This drops into the water while sharks and on shore shark shaped/dressed people go into a feeding frenzy behind it.

• Gideon puts forward the idea that they have been tricked by Ral and that he was after the object all along, setting up the ambush and that he has now retrieved it and done away with Peak.
• He then puts forward three options
• Forget everything and destroy the scroll
• See what the scroll is worth to the House of Mellor
• Visit Ral as if nothing had happened and collect whatever extra reward he has for them.
• Defoe suggests a combination of the 2nd and 3rd options. Jacktar is worried that events described in the scroll may now come to pass if they did nothing.  Gideon has other concerns, profit highest among them.
• They try the House again but it is now very late and the building locked. 
• Blab seems the worse for wear and tries to lay down and sleep in the street but the threat of having something thrown over him gets him going again.
• They go to Clear Water Court
• Entering, Gideon notes that water is being brought into what is suppose to be a well known excellent quality well court.
• Blab goes off to find Ral and hires a boy (Toc) to tell him if he has been seen and Toc points him out across the court in an eating establishment.
• Jacktar speaks to another boy and is told that the wells water has salted up and also hears of the floods in the lower parts of the city.
• They do not approach Ral but place themselves to cut off any escape while Gideon puts himself where he can be seen.  Ral recognises him and treats him like an old friend buying food and drink for them all and suggesting they meet up next day to both sort out their extra reward and to safely sell the papers already in Gideon's possession. 
• He also tells Jacktar when asked that the man he was suppose to meet has not turned up after leaving a message at Three Bridges that they would meet here.  He also when asked gives the name of the seller Pettious Peak.  Jacktar feigns ignorance and offers aid in finding him.
• General conversation through the night reveal that there has been flooding for a few days now in some lower parts of the central city and a drunk says he was chased by eels coming out of one of the flooded areas.  Clear Water is not the only well that has been salted.
• Blab feeds the boy and hires him to follow and watch the Easterner tonight and tomorrow.
• Unable to get any money they eat and drink well and return to Pecan's Livery Stables to spend the night.

 
Date: Day of the Minnow. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat: 

Morning in Lankhmar, Defoe, Gideon, Jacktar and Blab present

• It is wet, hot and heavy storms can be heard in the distance but getting closer.
• The party return to the House of Mellor to try and sell the scroll.
• They again meet Scholar Teasin and are shown into a meeting room.
• After some ado they discover that the document is written in an ancient sea speech and that the rites, invoking a rabid-like feeding frenzy that would increase until cannibalism ensued, would if carried out be quit deadly especially in a crowded place like the city. 
• Blab suggests only half laughingly that leaving the city might be the best option.
• When asked if the scroll was needed to carry out the rites he said no, only knowledge of their content, the Frenzy Bone and salt/sea water.  He calls the sharkmen 'Homalin' and says that a alter that drops below water level as in the pictures may help.
• They also find out that Peaks patron went by the name Krasspin Sscreeh and fitted the description of the pursuers of the night before.  When asked if they smelt of fish he said Sscreeh wore a whale skill cloak and never showed his face, not to mention the strange hissy speech.
• He then completes the purchase for the scroll at a better than fair price for Gideon although Gideon stipulates the free includes access to the scroll whenever he requires it.
• They also discover, in talking that the flooding in the lower part of the city has indeed lead to eels entering the streets and yes indeed a number of wells have salted up in a line heading back in that direction, Jacktar looks worried.
• Outside Gideon has changed his opinion of Ral’s compliance in the proceedings especially when Blab reminds him that the sand sharks where after Ral. The new culprits are almost certainly Sharkmen.
• At mid-morning they move on to Clear Water Court to meet up with Ral.
• Toc says that Ral has spent all morning in that same eatery as before and that the girl had been shopping in a local cloths bazaar.
• It is hot, and the approaching storm beginning to feel oppressive.  They feel hungry.

Tomorrow is the Eel Festival a carnival lead by a great eel puppet (similar to a Chinese street dragon) and ends in a great sea food feast after a ritual eel catch in the North Harbour. This will be the main topic of conversation in the bars and streets, that, and the rabid eels now infesting the flooded areas of the city and heading toward the harbour.

Most of the crew have family in the city and that its mercantile well-being is what pays your way.

Lankhmar - Into the City.

Date: Day of the Hare. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat: 

Late Morning on The Eel Run

• Retiring from the ambush the Sulaco returns down river for a stretch then turns back on a different route.  The corner to the adjoining river is sharp and Muddy points out an undefined silhouette passing over the ridge line of the intervening arm of land.  Blab remembers what he saw up the mast and tells everyone it is a Shadow Hound.  No one knows what a Shadow Hound is and Blab refuses to elaborate.
• As they pass the mouth of Fin Creek and enter the Moat Muddy notes that the river here is a little dank, under coloured as if affected by something.  Blab and Gideon show a lack of interest and push on quickly.
• The crew head up the Moat and into their hidden tunnel.  As they pass along the dark tunnel they hear a splash as of something moving the entrance covering to gain access but nothing is actually seen.
• Blab has the idea of putting a coracle on a rope with a light behind the Sulaco to see anything following them but to no avail.
• The normally fast current seems sluggish and everyone notices the salty smell as they moor even though in a freshwater stretch of water.
• Blab  scouts up into the city checking out the street and returns with some priest-like robes.
• Blab and Gideon go check on Pecan and his family getting the usual tongue-lashing from Gideon's sister Herisent. 
• Without gathering any local information they formulate a plan whereby Gideon and Jacktar would venture forth first, keeping to the main roads and Defoe and Blab would follow up, Blab having the box and presumed target. 

• The first group head out wearing the robes and move along Carter Street toward the intersection with the Street of Gods.  They are soon spotted and in turn spot three separated 'figures'  They appear hunched yet stand over 6½' tall and seem to carry a considerable bulk under their cowls.
• Gideon and Jacktar nip into the nearest alley and two of the figures move to follow showing that they each carry long staffs covered in rags.
• Gideon and Jacktar double back and Defoe moves to support them meanwhile Blab rushes past.
• Defoe follows the figures back to a new temple building on the Street of Gods which all the figures and some from the over direction enter.  Gideon and Jacktar catch up and all three go on to the House of Mellor to find Blab.
• The four meet up and empty box (it held something called 'The Frenzy Bone') or not they demand the remainder of their fee.  Teastin says he will be happy to pay it when Peak arrives and can verify the deal. 
• Its late evening, the sun has disappeared and the temple crowds are slowly dwindling...

Runequest - Broo.

Broos, otherwise know as 'Goatkin' or 'Beastmen'.

These are creatures of Chaos, twisted hybrids of men and beasts. They are the Beastmen of legend and engage in the foulest practices, worshiping the 'Unholy Trio' - Ragnaglar, the Mad God, Malia, the Goddess of Disease and Thed, the Goddess of Rape.

Mongoose Broo.

Most often they are human bodied and 'goat' headed, they are tied irrevocably with the Rune of Chaos. They are known to indulge in atrocities and foul practices and carry with them numerous loathsome diseases that they themselves are immune to. It is hard to say anything positive about broos. They have none of the savage nobility of Trolls and their personal habits are despicable. It is unlikely that anyone would have anything but antagonistic dealings with them.

Early Citadel Broo Boxed Set.

They will occasionally hire out for pay and carry various weaponry and armour, usually cuirbolli, spears and swords but will use whatever they can steal or capture from raids. They are seldom seen near settled lands unless it is to raid and pillage, but are as common as nomads in Prax, even more so in the Wastelands. Often feared, folk may even treat with them rather than fight if they think they can.

Citadel Compendium Broo.

On sighting men, broos typically either flee or attack based on their estimate of the opposition, though they may well taunt and posture at a distance to prove their courage to companions. When raiding, the broo rely on stealthy ambush, covered by darkness or undergrowth.

Armorcast / Lance & Laser Broo.

Several miniatures manufacturers have produced Broos or Beastmen over the years with Citadel's Runequest range from the early 80's being the most obvious. A few boxed sets were released, including 'Attack of the Broo', 'Broo' and 'Broo 2'. They also sneaked a couple in the 'Beastmen' set. This excellent range was later added to with several blister packs. In the mid 80's, presumably due to the licence running out, the Citadel Broo morphed into 'C27 Chaos Beastmen' as seen in the Second Citadel Journel of 1985. The Beastmen were slowly adopted as an offshoot chaos army and this has developed over time including an appearance in the 'Flames of Empire' Mordheim supplement. The current Games Workshop Cloven Ones / Beastmen range is quite broad and they even have their own army book!

Later Games Workshop Beastmen.

According to the Warhammer Fantasy world the Beastmen race (also known as the Children of Chaos) are a race of humanoid monsters. A fusion of animal and man that invaded the world when the old ones opened the warp gate at the far north of the world: their bodies are tough strong frames layered in knots of muscle. The tangled fur of Beastmen are matted with dried blood, filth, dirt and dung that nest countless varieties of ticks and fleas: as a result of this, Beastman live in a state of countless agitation and rage always seethes in the heart of every Beastman. Ram-like horns emerge from their goat-like heads (However Ungor Beastmen only have small stubs of horns), their mouths are chasms of sharp rotted teeth for tearing flesh and the feet of all Beastmen are cloven hoofed. The very stench of any Beastman is enough to make even seasoned warriors gag; their brays of bloodlust and the gleam of malice in their dark animalistic eyes can unsettle even the staunchest of troops.
All Beastmen are spiteful and mean-spirited creatures that revel in bloodshed and chaos and loathe order and the very concept of civilisation in all its forms. Beastmen are not creatures of nature for there is nothing natural about their existence. The Herdstones and rituals of the Beastmen corrupt the very essence of nature itself: it is for this reason Beastmen are especially loathed by the Wood Elves of Athel Loren who the Beastmen have been fighting a long gruelling secret war with for centuries.
For the purposes of Warhammer Fantasy Battle they are subdivided into various levels reflecting their appearance, prowess and ability in battle.

• Beastlords are the largest and most brutal they command the beast herds.
• Wargors are second in command to Beastlords.
• Bray Shamans are the spiritual leaders and advisors to the herd leaders. They are also powerful spellcasters.
• Bestigors are the most heavily armed and armoured Beastmen and rate as elite units.
• Centigors have the upper body of a Beastman and the four-legged lower body of an oxen.
• Gors and Ungors make up the majority of the infantry units or "Beastherds." The Ungors, however, due to their more human appearance (in comparison to other Beastmen) and smaller horns, are on the bottom of the herd hierarchy.

A mixed warband of Broos.

Armorcast took on the old Lance & Laser Heroquest range and this too contains some decent Broo minis, some with the usual Goatkin look and a couple with a slightly more bestial countenance. In 2006 Mongoose took over the Runquest line and released several books and supplements and also produced their own small line of Runequest miniatures to support the RPG during their period of MRQI and MRQII. Among the figures on offer were a decent set of traditional 'goat' headed Broo rabble.

Foundry Beastmen.

More recently, Wargames Foundry have started releasing their own Beastmen range with several packs of 'Brutes' and 'Younglings' available. These are definately in the GW mould (excuse the pun) but have some great looking figures to boost any Broo warband!

Figures are a mix of Games Workshop, Mongoose and Citadel.

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Lankhmar - The Shark Box.

Date: Day of the Crab. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the Summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat: 

Evening at Three Bridges.

• Arrive late at Three Bridges
• Hailed by Kilpin Plake a known tout calling them the heroes of the Risings Teeth
• Plake says there is a prospective customer who wants to hire them.  He's at the Death's Way
• On Route Jaktar notices more than usual numbers of armed men.
• Gideon, Jaktar, Defoe and Blab go with Plake who introduces them the guarded Pettious Peak.
• Peak wants them to carry a Shark Shaped box into the city.  He explains that someone has been chasing him to reclaim the box which he was commissioned by his Temple (The House of Mellor) to buy off in the East.  He says that he will continue on to the city with a body guard but would feel safer from ambush if the box travelled a different route.  The deal is to deliver it to him or his Head Scholar (name of Teastin) at the Temple where they can expect a bonus. They except at his price plus 20%.
• A discussion ensures as they leave over whether Blab can open the box or not bearing in mind that there is no discernible seal so he would most likely have to break it. Defoe  takes both the moral point that they cannot and the finacial point that it would do their reputations as businessmen a lot of harm.  Gideon says its fate.
• Return to the Sulaco where no one seems much interested in them - more concerned with a lack of eels.
• Moor in the open river and sleep.

Date: Day of the Hare. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the Summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat: 

Morning at Three Bridges - clear summers day with thunder in the distance.

• Jeremiah predicts flooding in a few days. Leave early for the city.
• On the second watch along the Eel Run Tobius calls from his look-out post that the Death's Ferry raft is floating free jammed against a tree trunk and that there are three people on it none of whom is Cuthwick the Dragger who normally crews the raft and upkeeps it.
• It is immediately suspected as a trap. 
• Blab goes up the mast.  He realises that the truck is not acting right and must be steered.  He had taken his bow and intends to open fire on the raft when Tobius spots and calls warning on two men in the water with great hooks. Blab shoots at them instead and causes them to retreat into the reeds.
• Gideon orders the sails dropped and the vessel rowed in reverse.
• Blab continues to keep the enemies heads down.
• Two small flatboats appear from the reeds back from the Three Bridges direction but only one has a chance of interception. 
• Jaktar recognises one of the men as one he had seen near the Death's Way the night before in Three Bridges.
• The lead man on the raft opens fire with a crossbow but fails to hit anyone, Blab shoots back sending him backwards off the raft.
• Blab then turns his attention the boat on the intercept course which has now cleared the reeds, its foreman wielding a pole-arm with the obvious intent to hole the Sulaco hull.  The man takes a arrow in the belly and the second man using a punting quant (pole). A second arrow cuts the back of his leg and he too cowers in the boat.
• Gideon orders that a prisoner should be taken. Ignoring Blab (still up the mast) who says leave the one 'bleeding out' Jaktar leaps aboard the punt and drags both raiders on board.  The Sulaco rows on to safety where they relax to interrogate the prisoners.
• Blab searches and confiscates and weapons (ok sword and two daggers) and any valuables (6 silver and 8 copper pieces) from the captives. Gideon  shows displeasure but does not actively intervene.
• The punter with the lesser wound is not really interrogated at all but emphasis is given to the belly wounded gent. It seems there were about 10 attackers hired by someone called Brad'in(?) and they where to capture a shark box.  This man never saw the employer who only spoke to the bands leader a man called Tybone who described him as an Easterner.
• Gideon has tem put over board and shortly after they leave a thrashing and screaming can be heard in the reeds behind them.  Blab wins his bet with Jaktar over their survival time.
• There is some disagreement between the crew on the morality of that last action and the leaving two survivors in a boat as bait if the Sand Sharks gave chase back at the rescue was also brought up. Blab and  Defoe take the moral high-ground against Gideon.

Lankhmar - Day at Mucking Beach.

Date: Day of the Fox. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the Summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat:   

Evening at Mucking Beach.

• Muddy rejoins the crew bringing the smell of the marsh.
• Crew speak to the captain about what happened - attacked by three Sand Sharks, he used the term 'herded' toward the sand banks, he thought he'd made it clear when he saw the channel (The Snatch).  Says he was sailing on a commission for the Shahdra (a type of eastern lord often a city or town head) of Hazkaa in the Empire of Horborixen
• Horborixen Empire Fans out from the City State of Horboxien and hugs the coast from Ilthar to 300-400 hundred miles further south.  It is one of the more powerful and rich of the Eastern States monopolising the trade and berths for such a distance.  Ilthra is still an independent City State and is its biggest mercantile rival on that coast.
• Ral offers two months (he is not aware it is so much you feel) in guild drafts to get him and his 'assistant' to Three Bridges by Crab day.
• Blab says the drafts are the real thing and is confident he can get at least 70% of their face value about a month or more normal profit.
• The crew agree they can get Ral to Hec's landing and arrange over-night travel to Three Bridges but the end of Badger Day. If he makes his deal then they are welcome to meet him at Clear Water Court in Lankhmar for hospitality and further reward.
• Defoe blesses the boat and crew after a philosophical debate on the nature of 'prayer is not magic'. 
• Gideon tells Jaktar to keep a watch on the two 'passengers'.
• Jaktar spends the evening watching the couple and evens tries without success to engage Yelmeer in conversation but she is polite but immune to his charm.  He sees a lord and his body servant, both pleasant practical people holding up under miss fortune but also not overly worried or guarded.  Beyond looking at their scrolls which are carried in three wax sealed tubes they do nothing unusual.
• Blab plays on the beach with the dog.
• Latter in the evening Blab forms an entertainment from the events which earns him a smile from Yelmeer.
• A friendly card games closes the evening.

Date: Day of the Badger. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the Summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat:   

Morning at Mucking Beach.

• Muddy reports that the Promontory watch on Sentinel Tower saw a blue sailed boat (Blab suddenly remembers seeing this last night and puts his two pen'th in) heading up Rickar Creek toward Two Days.
• All embark for Hec's Landing.
• An uneventful trip finds the Sulaco in Hec's Landing late that evening.

Evening at Hec's landing.

• Muddy and Jaktar take the passengers and help arrange transport for them to Three Bridges.
• The night passes uneventfully.

Date: Day of the Crab. The month of the Murderer's Moon in the Summer season of the Year of the Feathered Death in the Era of Heat:

• The Sulaco leaves Hec's Landing
• A Red sail is spotted in the distance but Muddy guides the boat well away from its path and they soon lose it however it adds to the travel time and they arrive in Three Bridges very late.

Oldhammer.

"In battle there is no law..."

Oldhammer!

I have recently been re-developing my interest in fantasy miniatures and wargaming and through painting various old figures from my age old collection from the 80's (predominantly with Runequest in mind) I have started to come back to the idea of playing some fantasy skirmishes using rules I already own. We have discussed Mordheim, a set of rules I possess but have never actually played and this looks likely to happen at some point, after we have reached saturation point with other ongoing projects! Mordheim still interests me as it is a smaller scale skirmish, scenario and story driven game and you can follow and improve your warband and characters as they move through their battles and adventures.

Following on from this, I recently started following the blogs of Zhu, Thansants "Somewhere the tea's getting cold" and Gaj's "Warhammer for Adults" and been inspired to dig out all my old Warhammer Fantasy Battle rules, notes and scenarios.

WHFB 1st Edition.

I liked the clunky 1st Edition and its massive army supplement "Forces of Fantasy" but I have to say its the 2nd or 3rd Edition all the way for me! I read the 4th Edition but I never even really liked it much and to be honest I had drifted away from the hobby by then. I didn't even touch the 5th to 7th Editions. I have looked at the 8th and I guess I wouldn't mind having a look at '9th' whenever that may appear but the whole GW WHFB thing now seems to be very army building specific and slightly rules heavy. It seems you have to have the (expensive) rule book plus several 'army' books to be able to play. In my day the army 'lists' used to be in one book!

WHFB 2nd Edition.

Personally, for me WHFB was always about small to large scale skirmishes, not neccessarily the mass battles that seem to be encouraged now. I really loved the slightly open feeling of the 2nd/3rd Editions. We used to play heavily story driven games that had little to do with points and army building and everything about the narrative behind the game itself. We had mixed troops in our battles, admitedly this was often down to the figures we had early on, but ultimately it came down to the scenario itself.

WHFB 3rd Edition.

We had our own little part of the Warhammer world populated with characters and kingdoms that had a reason for fighting. The background was there in the books, but there was plenty of scope for you to bring your own backstories and histories into the mix. Our stories began around the chronicles of King Jorick Stefel-Horowitz, also known as Vlard Stalinsky, and his succession to the throne of the Theldar Fief, as the 30th king of Theldar, Dathal, Hurgoland and Damask. Through diplomacy, consolidation and treachery he incited civil wars in his neighbouring Fiefs and overthrew his opponents. His massive new territory was renamed the Grenland Fiefs and he ruled over a prosperous and poweful nation for many years, handing down power through several generations. The Grenland Fiefs saw incursions from powerful sorcerers, demonic hordes, the Goblin Wars and even a campaign ending in a civil war as the ruling family, under King Sternjaw IV and his sons Prince Leopold Caprinski and Aramir 'Bresharde' Sibertine the Half-Elven, fought with their own traitorous kinsmen led by his nephew Elfwine Castaroff and a general of note Elstar Gorky, to retain the seat of power.

WHFB Siege.

These epic stories were played out using the first three versions of the game and later supplements such as Warhammer Siege, and gave us some fantastic and memorable battles and kept us creative with the stories behind them. Perhaps it was just the way we played it, in "the spirit of the game" so to speak but with a little bit of history, some maps and an occasional 'RPG Lite' element to this we kept our little part of the Warhammer world alive for many years and it was fun to play through the trials and tribulations of a nation...