Rangers of Shadow Deep: A Wolf in the Fold?

(Please note: this game was played virtually and as such I don’t have any photos to add just yet. Also, as I haven’t got time to write this up properly, this report consists largely of the notes taken by our faithful scribe, Rita.)

‘Holy’ Moses scanned the weary faces of the battered auxiliary warriors before him. He saw anger, fear, desperation and… something else… guilt?

“Aye, we will help you,” he replied to their pleas for aid. “Show us where you were attacked; perhaps we can draw out these evil man-beasts an, Gods willing, end them to the Twelve Hells.”

Following the soldiers, the rangers soon arrived at the grounds of a large house, complete with outbuildings and a large pond, upon which forlornly drifted a solitary boat.

“Aye, werewolves all right,” said Moses, sniffing the pungent air. “Well, there are four of you and four of us, so we shall pair up – better to spread out and find out what’s happened here.

‘And,’ he thought to himself as the hairs on the back of his neck began to bristle, ‘better to fight you if one of you turns out to be the perpetrator…’

With Giles’ excellent homebrew mission completed, Alan, Rita and I graciously allowed him some breathing space to compose the next one. As such, we decided to give one of the official ROSD supplements ago. Eventually we settled upon Blood Moon, a single-mission micro-supplement which sees Rangers, minus their companions, teaming up with a handful of survivors to solve the mystery of a werewolf attack. As the adventure progresses, creatures are fought and clues found, leading to the possibility that the survivors may not quite be what they seem…

Here’s what happened in our virtual session:

Rangers Felton (Giles), Ethan Jugge (Alan), Bronwen, (Rita), and Holy Moses (Jon), were directed at short notice to take an urgent message to a distant frontier garrison, so had to leave immediately without summoning any companions. On route they came across a small band of Auxiliaries in desperate need of assistance. Seb, Covin, Nikolan and Orla were survivors from a Werewolf attack on their nearby village, and begged the Rangers to assist in freeing the village. Two Werewolves were last seen entering a farmhouse.

Approaching the village, the party saw the farmhouse, with a barn and a wagon nearby. Before it was a deep pond with a boat floating in the centre, while to the right was a small wood. Four Giant Flies hovered by the barn, three Giant Rats could be seen by the cart, and a Grimwolf prowled the edge of the wood.

Ethan towards barn and enchanted weapon, Bronwen to pond, Holy Moses towards wood and shot Grimwolf. Felton towards cart & cast Armour on self. No enemy move this turn. Seb followed Bronwen, Nikolan followed Ethan, Orla followed Holy Moses, Covin followed Felton. Unbeknownst to the Rangers, a Werewolf lurked in room B of the farmhouse.

Bronwen used her Fishglass to swim to the boat, found old man cowering under blanket. Ethan fireballed flies, killed two, moved to attack another fly. Holy Moses moved into wood looking for clue. Felton moved towards Giant Rats and shot one. Giant Fly wounded Ethan but did not infect with disease, Ethan killed second fly. Giant Rats attacked Felton who killed both. Nikolan joined Ethan but was wounded by Fly but passed disease roll. Seb went round pond while Old Man rowed boat to shore. Covin joined Felton. Grimwolf arrived near house.

Ethan killed fly, moved to barn. Bronwen shot and killed Grimwolf, moved towards cart. Holy Moses found corpse in wood. Felton moved towards farm. No enemies in sight. Nikolan entered barn. Old Man joined Bronwen. Other companions joined their rangers. Giant Rat appeared by farmhouse, eerie howl caused Bronwen, Felton, Orla, Seb, Nikolan lose an action.

Ethan entered barn, found corpse, passed Perception roll to find treasure. Bronwen moved to cart. Holy Moses left wood to reach cart. Felton moved to protect Old Man from Giant Rat and killed it when it attacked. Orla & Seb moved to cart. Nikolan exited barn. Covin went to farmhouse door. Werewolf appeared in room D.

Bronwen searched cart and found corpse with embedded fang before moving to farmhouse, as did Ethan on leaving the barn, and Holy Moses. Felton approached side door of farmhouse. No enemies in sight. Nikolan ran to front door, as did Seb and Old Man, with Orla following. Grimwolf arrived behind barn.

Holy Moses broke down front door and entered the manor house, followed by Bronwen who cast Magic Bolt but only scratched a Werewolf. Ethan reached the front door as Felton failed to open the side door. Werewolf attacked Bronwen who beat it back, but second Werewolf attacked and wounded Bronwen. Grimwolf ran out from behind barn, and was shot at by Orla, who missed. Nikolan rushed in to attack Werewolf, severely wounding it, allowing Covin to finish it off. Seb and Old Man ran to support Covin. Giant Fly erupted from corpse near Orla.

Ethan stepped back to help Orla against the Giant Fly but was wounded although still avoided Disease. Bronwen wounded Werewolf. Holy Moses searched another room and found bloody handprint on wall, and a silver dagger. Felton finally broke down side door and entered, to find a young girl hiding under a bed. Werewolf attacked Old Man, who wounded it. Giant Fly and Ethan fought to a draw but Fly died and Ethan still undiseased. Grimwolf rushed towards Orla, who missed with her bow before fleeing to Ethan. Inside the house, Seb attacked Werewolf, wounding it, before Covin killed it. Companions exited house. Young Boy crept out from under wagon as Giant Rat came out of barn.

Ethan re-entered house to search, finding human remains. Bronwen searched last room, found discarded clothes, passed Read Runes roll to find Boots of Soft Tread. Holy Moses left house, shot and killed Grimwolf, to end all threats.

And so ended the mission. The werewolves and their evil allies were dispatched without mercy and, happily, it transpired that none of the auxiliaries had any dark secrets to reveal. Where next for our bold adventurers I wonder?