Aeon Flixx and the Imperilled Prince

For Chronomancers, time does not move in a neat, evenly spaced line. Days and adventures may whizz by at speed and then, seemingly, it is a whole year since the last expedition into the frozen city.

Or perhaps it just took that damn long to decipher the hieroglyphics copied down from the mystical pillars.

Either way, the work was now done and the location, time and date of the terrible ritual that would summon forth the evil demon Tszisirain was ascertained. The time had come to venture forth once more and put a stop to such blasphemy, for if Aeon Flixx were to sit by and do nothing, then the rapacious appetite of the monster would be unleashed upon the world, both in the present and the future…

And so, as Giles and I met up to play the 'Rescue the Prince!' scenario from Forgotten Pacts, Aeon Flixx finally stepped back onto Felstatian ground after about a year’s wait! The table was duly laid, with the barbarian Summoner Balkren and his princely captive in the centre, while a 6” square is marked off at each corner by a sinister Chilopendra.

Aeon Flixx led some of her warband through the rubble on the left. If they were to stop Balkren, they must first destroy the demons that formed the cornerstones of a protective forcefield. If they took too long, then the ritual would be completed, unleashing the terrible monster.

Brunhilde the apprentice also advanced, from roughly the centre of the board edge. On the far right, the two archers were poised to climb up the only elevated part of the battlefield. Hopefully this would give them a good line of sight, not only to the demons, but also the Illusionist Shazam and his band, which deployed opposite.

However Balkren had already arranged for some backup in the form of some formidable barbarian berserkers. These would come on from a random table edge at the beginning of each creature phase (regular readers will know that I use Bugbears for my berserkers).

Of course there was also treasure to be had (including revealed secrets and fool’s gold). Such trinkets were always jealously guarded by wandering creatures and today was no exception. A Grakyura waddled onto the table, looking for victims to smash. To make matters worse it was soon joined by another minor demon – both creatures appearing on the right-hand edge.

Aeon’s warriors , in this case a thug and the captain Grey Leopard, slew a berserker, enabling one of the thieves to claim the treasure nearby. The Chronomancer’s aim was to free up an area of space so that she could pick off the Chilopendra.

Shazam’s men also advanced, but ran into the combined threat of the Grakyura and berserker. For their part, the Chilopendra stood motionless, maintaining the forcefield that protected Balkren.

The Illusionist’s band tried their best to put a stop to this, attacking one of the demons. Alas to the cost of one of their number (who was also carrying treasure).

Aeon went for a less direct approach, although she had kitted out all her warriors with magical weapons, first blood (or ichor) went to the demon hunter, who shot down a Chilopendra, thus breaking the forcefield.

After a tense battle, Shazam’s men evened the score by slaying another demon. The way to the central altar was open, but who would get there first?

Things became a little more complicated when a berserker charged in from the left, threatening the Chronomancer’s position. It was up the the captain and the apothecary to fight off the barbarian.

The opposite side was also having issues, as the Grakyura and berserker combo continued to make trouble as they ploughed their way through Shazam’s band.

The Illusionist himself, however, was unperturbed. Racing forward with his templar, the pair attacked the evil wizard Balkren, slaying him before he could plunge his magic dagger into the hapless prince. The monstrous Tszisirain would not be making an appearance today!

It would be but a small matter to untie the prince and claim complete victory, but Aeon had other ideas. As the thug she had dispatched to carry the fellow off would not make it in time, she resorted to telekinesis to rescue him (I must confess to being a bit ‘gamey’ here. The scenario stated that the prince should be treated as treasure, so why not use telekinesis?)

Shazam, having slain Balkren, could now at least claim his magical Blade of Feasting. To cover his movements, he laid down a blanket of fog to screen himself from any pesky arrows or elemental bolts.

Freed from maintaining the forcefield, a Chilopendra charged at Brunhilde and her team, hoping to gore the apprentice with it’s horns. Thankfully it did not succeed in this.

With a spectacular thrust of is sword, the enemy captain took the honour of finishing off the final Chilopendra, although other monsters lurked threateningly nearby.

The battle was joined around the now vacant altar. Could both sides disengage themselves from the carnage with a decent amount of treasure? As the fighting raged, more berserkers poured in.

One of Aeon’s thugs dispatched the enemy treasure hunter with spectacular ease! However, with barbarian berserkers and demons rampaging around, it was time to begin a withdrawal.

Grey Leopard the captain fell under the barbarian onslaught, leaving the plucky apothecary to fight the ruffians alone until reinforcements arrived.

Shazam’s fighters were also holding their own against the barbarian tide. Magnificent victories were won, but they still could not defeat that pesky Grakyura.

Having failed to hit anything throughout the game, the archers descended to ground level to help clear the right flank of demons, raising their daggers in support of the lone thug.

Eventually the apothecary succumbed to the violent blows of the berserkers, so it was up to the warhound to finish the battle. All that remained was for both sides to make their escape and tend to their wounded.

It was a great game, with both warbands suffering casualties. While dispatching the Chilopendra and killing Balkren happened well within the time limit, the constant trickle of berserkers made the game a very tricky one. While Aeon could claim to have rescued the prince (and thus earn a nice reward in gold), Shazam(!) was declared the winner for having not only slayed the evil Summoner, thus preventing the cataclysm that would result in the major demon’s appearance, but also taking his magical blade.

“A great deed has been done this day. The monster that would consume it’s way through the centuries has not been summoned. Your task, dear Aeon, is at an end…”

“…but alas,” Mother Synchronous shook her head, “it is clear by your continued presence that returning to your own time is not as simple as we had hoped.”

“Yes… so it seems…” Aeon sighed, flopping down into her armchair and helping herself to a generous glass of wine. “And my own time capsule is, I fear, beyond repair…”

The air grew still and silent, until:

“Perhaps I can be of assistance, noble sorceresses.”

It was the prince, who, sitting up, swung his legs woozily off the bed on which he rested.

“My people know of a legend – a tale of a great tower.” He ignored their sceptical looks. “Not just any tower mind you, but a place reported to hold many marvels, including, it is said, strange portals to other worlds…” 

He paused, making sure that all eyes were on him.

”… and other times…”

Display Cases

You know when a seemingly easy modelling project takes way longer than it should to complete and the results are nowhere near as good as you’d hoped?

So you end up slapping on a coat of paint and saying ‘bugger it, that’ll do’? Oh, and you can’t even be arsed to take decent photos?

Here are some display cases for the Relic Room scenario from Maze of Malcor (approximately 6" long, 1" wide and 1" tall as per spec).

Whoopee.

At Long Last, a Game!

Has it really been that long since my last post? Has it really been that long since my last game!?

I was contacted, via the Hereford Wargames Club website, by someone looking to get back into wargaming. It turns out Brendan is a friend of a friend from the Herefordshire Boardgamers Club, and we arranged to meet up at the Swan pub, where I could introduce him to the joys of Frostgrave.

After knocking up an entry-level  Witch warband for Brendan (to suit the shaman vibe of his Massive Darkness Orks) and a Sigilist warband for me (a magic school I haven’t played before), I decided upon the Worm Hunt scenario from the main source book (saving me from lugging any specialist scenery around).

With the table duly laid, we began, both splitting our warbands into groups and edging them forward while I explained the rules. My wizard, Sister Sans Serif, took the right flank and headed to the nearest treasure marker. She was accompanied by a couple of bodyguards while a barbarian warrior (actually an illusory soldier) scouted ahead and an archer took up position on a ruin.

In the centre-left, her apprentice directed the rest of the warband, including another archer to climb up a ruin (accompanied by a thug to grab the treasure nearby) on the left flank and a warhound to probe ahead.

Both warbands grabbed treasure and fluffed spells (as level zero wizards are wont to do). The kerfuffle attracted the attention of a wandering snow troll, who appeared on my left flank and started to head towards my warband.

The truth behind my ‘barbarian’ was soon revealed after an arrow from an Orcish archer dissipated the illusion, but at least he acted as a shield for one of the thugs, allowing him to pick up a treasure.

However as we both started lugging the precious loot away, an ice toad hopped into the fray, right behind my warband as per usual! The escape route directly behind my warband was now compromised.

The Orc shaman had used it’s evil magic to summon a zombie at the start of the game. Luckily for me, my Sigilist possessed the control undead spell. Soon the zombie was working for me! As the Orcs worked towards my wizard, the zombie turned on them.

In the centre, warriors clashed over a treasure token. Fighting around this golden chest would last on and off throughout the game as it was picked up, dropped and fought over.

With the snow troll looming closer, I sent my warhound up the left flank to draw the creature away. The poor doggie paid for this move with it’s life, but the troll was now more likely to attack the Orcs than my warband.

By now most of the treasure had been claimed. We had both lost a sizeable number of soldiers, either from combat or from being shot at by archers. Offensive spells also flew around the table, with curses and poison darts being slung from the Orcs, while my Sigilists lobbed magical grenades via wizard eyes.

Eventually only two treasures were left and it was growing increasingly likely that the giant worm would erupt – but near which one? Turns out it slithered out of the ground next to the much-fought-over central treasure.

As the snow troll lumered towards the Orcs on one flank, the turncoat zombie on the other had managed to chew it’s way through some of the Orcish band and was now free to shamble forward to distract the giant worm. Would this allow me to sneak forward and grab the golden chest?

My treasure hunter took the chance and grabbed it. However behind him, this attracted the attention of a wild boar. Unfortunately the first person the beast saw was my Sigilist, who, with wizard eye successfully cast, was heading back towards some cover.

Tusks lowered, the board charged and Sister Sans Serif fell! I allowed this to happen purely to highlight to Brendan the necessity of keeping one’s wizard alive and the tactical disadvantage of losing the wizard phase *cough*.

With honours reasonably even regarding treasure, we decided that the winner of the game would be whoever killed the giant worm. Both my treasure hunter and Brendan’s thug piled in, only for the Orc to get critted.

My apprentice evened up the score by lobbing a grenade through her wizard eye towards the Orc shaman. Landing squarely into his lap the thing went off, leaving nothing but a nasty green mess. It was now up to the trainee wizards to finish off the job!

For the Orc apprentice however, things were initially looking dire, menaced on one side by a snow troll and a giant worm on the other. Fortunately he managed to escape their clutches and the worm turned on my treasure hunter. Assisted by an archer but hindered by another raised zombie (a very fresh one as I couldn’t be bothered to search for another zombie figure), the brave warrior drew his sword and, despite being poisoned and carrying loot, slew the beast!

We had a really fun game very a very high body count! It was great to be gaming again, and Brendan enjoyed it too. No doubt there will be more expeditions into the frozen city in the near(ish) future.

Malcor Rises

High above, in a bare chamber carved into the frozen peak, an eerie mist clung to the debris-strewn floor.

‘Crack!’

Far below, at the base of the mountain, jagged chunks of ice crashed to the ground. Within minutes they came swarming in through the newly revealed doorways, like ants to a broken pot of honey.

As if agitated by the presence of the intruders, the mist swirled upwards, coalescing into the figure of a man. He half walked, half flowed to the solitary window and looked impassively upon the minute forms below.

Three more entities drew forth from the mist: half-formed figures that bowed obsequiously to their master and fawned about his tattered cloak as it solidified into being. They drew back as he clenched his fists, tilting their heads quizzically as if waiting for instruction.

The headmaster turned, face unreadable and eyes naught but dark shadows behind his mask. Wordlessly he pointed to the gaping hole that led to the inner recesses of the complex. The Advisory Council nodded in supplication before flying out of the chamber on their errands.

When they were gone, Malcor the Mad returned to the window and watched. Plans would be made and traps laid. The faculty would return and the intruders would be punished. The sanctity of the Collegium of Artistry would remain intact…

The last batch of figures for The Maze of Malcor brings us to the man himself and his Advisory Council.

For the latter I tried the same approach as I did for the Wizard Shades, but used a greenish basecoat rather than grey (if only to make it easier to select the figures to paste onto the background during photo-editing). As there is less detail in these, there isn’t as much colour to ‘bleed’ through, but I added a little flesh-tone around the face and torso.

Malcor himself painted up surprisingly easy. I went for the same greenish effect as his toadies from the feet up to the waist before doing a normal paintjob for the top half, drybrushing them to blend the two halves together.

I’m pretty pleased with how it came out, though I will admit to chickening out when it came to painting the eyes, which to my mind by rights should be glowing with magic – I didn’t want to ruin the paintjob by screwing up and making him cross-eyed or somesuch.

Now I have to work out how to build some more of the specific terrain for the scenarios in the book (for as little expense as possible!)

Shades of Wizardry

As intruders steal into the prestigious Collegium of Artistry, it’s headmaster Malcor summons forth the spirits of long-dead teachers from the great staff room in the sky.

Soon the shades of these mighty wizards, each the foremost proponents of their fields of lesser-known magic, sally forth to defend their school from those who would loot it’s treasures…

I’ve sat upon these figures for ages, simply because I had no idea how I was going to paint them!

The ‘official’ paintjobs on the Northstar website has them fading from a normal-looking top half, into their wispy grey bottom half. However I wasn’t sure I could pull off the blending and wanted to do something different anyway.

After much deliberation and discussion with my mate Andy, I decided to start off with a ghostly pale grey base colour (they are shades after all), through which bleeds the colours they would have worn when alive (If you’ve seen the Doctor Who episode ‘Under the Lake’ you might have some idea of what I’m getting at). Cue lots of drybrushing.

I’m not sure if I’ve managed to pull this off – perhaps the colouring is too subtle for the tabletop, making them look more like statues – but if I don’t consider them finished now, they’ll be back in the painting queue for ages! I’ll refine the technique for the next batch of figures…

Oh, while I was at it, I found this feather in amongst some old Playmobil stuff that was being thrown away. I thought it'd make a nice 'furious quill' spell marker.

The Monsters of Malcor; Part 3

The next bunch of Malcor miniatures, or ‘Phase Green’ as I call it.

Glass Spiders: The Decanters of Death! Drinks trolleys with attitude. The globes are supposed to be filled with acid. However I’ve no idea how to paint realistic-looking liquid and envy those who can. So in the end I just picked up my brushes and splodged the paint on here and there.

Mantodeus: Giant insects that pounce on the unwary from their nests. This model was an absolute b*st*rd to put together, with more drilling, pinning and gluing than I’d happily apply to one mini. As a result I painted this with little enthusiasm, sticking to a basic all-over green.

Acrisbird: Terror birds from the tropics. I initially went for a black and white colour scheme on this model, but the end result looked like a very annoyed turkey, so I went back and, considering that green seems to be the overarching theme of this batch, went over the black bits with dark green. Now it looks like an very annoyed parrot!